The math and process we use to predict the time and location of solar eclipses
In: Planetary Science
The Moon orbits the Earth. From our perspective, this means it moves around us in a circle…it takes about 29 days to complete this circle.
The Earth orbits the Sun. From our perspective, this means the Sun appears to move around us in a circle…it takes about 365 days to complete this circle.
These two circles are tilted with respect to one another in the sky.
Because of this, the two circles also intersect at two points on opposite ends of the sky. So twice a month, the Moon crosses through the Sun’s path.
All you have to do is figure out when the Moon crosses the Sun’s path at the same time the Sun is there, and boom, you’ve got yourself a solar eclipse.
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