Answer: When a planet or moon gets in the way of sunlight approaching that planet or moon is called an Eclipse. Planet Earth (home planet) contains two types of Eclipses namely:
- Solar Eclipse: (When moon gets in the way of sunlight hitting the earth and cast a shadow on earth)
- Lunar Eclipse: (When earth gets in the way of sunlight hitting the moon and cast a shadow on it)
Difference between two eclipses:
The name of the eclipse describes it self. Like in Solar eclipse sun gets darker and in the lunar eclipse moon gets darker.
Lunar Eclipse: In lunar eclipse earths gets in the way of sunlight and cast a shadow on moon, due to which full moon fades away at night and covered in earths shadow completely.
Types of lunar eclipse: There are two types of lunar eclipse on earth namely:
- Total lunar Eclipse: (when moon and the sun are on the exact opposite side of earth. Which makes the moon looks red to the people on earth).
- Partial lunar Eclipse: ( This can be explained by the positioning that how the sun, moon and earth are lined up. In partial lunar eclipse some parts of the moon enters earth's shadow and not completely. Due to which the part of moon facing earth's shadow appears very dark).
1). What type of shadow does Earth cast on the Moon during a lunar eclipse ?
It can be reddish or very dark depending on the type of lunar eclipse happening. In total lunar eclipse earth is completely positioned opposite to sun and moon which makes moon appear red. While in partial eclipse earth cast the very dark shadow on only that part of moon which comes in the way.
2). What type of shadow would Earth cast if it were flat?
The type of shadow also depends on the positioning of earth,, moon and sun. The shadow of the round object is circular when lightens face-on, but will appear as a straight line when viewed from the edge. The sphere object only cast a round shadow on moon. It doesn't depend on the moon that whether the moon is high or low in the sky. If the object is sphere then the shadow casts on moon is in round form.
