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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.
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