Eclipses and Tides

What is a low tide?

A low tide is when sea level is at its lowest level.

What is a spring tide?

A spring tide is a tide that occurs just after a new or full moon, when there is a greater difference between a high tide and low tide.

Why do total solar eclipses occur?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon appears to cover the Sun completely and can only be seen from within the Moon's umbra.

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse is when an object, like the Moon, obscure's the light of another object, like the Sun, from reaching another object, like the Earth.

What is a high tide?

A high tide is when sea level is at its highest level.

How does a high tide occur?

A high tide occurs at tidal bulges, the bulges in oceans on opposite sides of Earth because of the Moons gravity.

How does a low tide occur?

A low tide occurs in between tidal bulges.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs during the full moon phase, and when the Moon moves into Earth's shadow.

Why do partial lunar eclipses occur?

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only part of the Moon passes through the Earth's umbra.

Why do partial solar eclipses occur?

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon never completely covers the Sun.

What is a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs during the New moon phase and the Earth, Moon, and Sun are lined up.

What is a neap tide?

A spring tide is a tide that occurs just after the first or third quarters of the moon, when there is the least difference between high and low tides.

What is a tide?

A tide is the daily rise and fall of sea level.

Why do total lunar eclipses occur?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire Moon moves through the Earth's umbra.

Why don't lunar eclipses occur every month?

Although a lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon phase, it doesn't happen during every full moon phase because of the tilt of the Moon's orbit with respect to the Earth's orbit.

Why don't solar eclipses occur every month?

Although a solar eclipse can only occur during a new moon, it doesn't occur every new moon because the Moon's orbit is tilted slightly compared to the Earth's orbit.

What is an Umbra?

It is the central, darker part of a shadow, in the umbra light is totally blocked.

What is a Penumbra?

It is the lighter part of the shadow, in the penumbra light is only partially blocked.

Why do neap tides occur?

Neap tides occur because the Sun, Earth, and the Moon form a right angle a week after a spring tide.

Why do spring tides occur?

Spring tides occur when the Sun's and Moon's gravitational effects combine and produce a higher high tide and a lower low tide.