Eclipses

Eclipse means hiding. Thus in solar eclipse, the Sun is hidden from our eyes, and in lunar eclipse the Moon is hidden from our eyes. What is the reason of their hiding on certain days? There are some facts about them.

1. Solar eclipse is always on a New Moon day, and lunar eclipse is always on a Full Moon day.
2. Both the eclipses cannot be seen alike at all the places on the earth.
3. Since the eclipses are the results of periodic motion of the Moon round the earth, there are regularities in the timing of the eclipses that give cycles to the related eclipses. These cycles can predict the future eclipses.
4. Although both eclipses with comparable frequencies, the lunar eclipse's frequency is more than the solar one. It is because the darkened Moon can be seen from anywhere in the nighttime.
5. A lunar eclipse can be seen by more people than the solar eclipse.
6. A lunar eclipse can last up to 3.5 hours, as opposed to solar eclipse which may last up to 7.5 minutes
7. While the Moon is always in a new phase during a solar eclipse, a solar eclipse does not occur every time the moon is in the new phase. This is because the orbit of the Moon is tilted relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. This tilt is only 5 degrees, but it is enough that the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun only occurs about once every six months. This holds true for lunar eclipses as well. In fact, lunar and solar eclipses generally occur together; that is, if the alignment is correct for a lunar eclipse during the full phase of the Moon, it will also be correct for a solar eclipse during the next new phase of the Moon.
8. Most of the time ,eclipses occur in pair within a fortnight.

Eclipses are considered bad if:
1. They occur in 13 days interval-day is to be counted from sunrise to sunrise.
2 If THREE consecutive eclipses occur - three eclipses in one Lunar Month. This is a rare occurrence though, but three eclipses did occur on - Solar June19, Lunar July 5 and Solar July 19, 1917.  The place where all the three eclipses are visible, is subjected to miseries of all kinds.