So if the sun is stationary from the perspective of the earth and the moon orbits the earth every 27 days then shouldn’t it be at an angle at which it’s in between the earth and the sun at least once a month, this would also work for it being behind the earth. So then why are lunar/solar eclipses so rare?
Sorry if it’s difficult to understand what I wrote but I couldn’t think of a better way to phrase my question.
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The moon’s orbital plane is tilted compared to Earth’s orbital plane. This means that at the time of the month when the moon is between the Earth and the Sun (a new moon), it’s usually above or below Earth’s orbital plane, so it doesn’t cause an eclipse. The Moon does pass through Earth’s orbital plane during a new moon twice a year, so there are usually two solar eclipses every year.
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