Eclipses

Now and then the Sun, Earth and Moon fall into a straight line, and one casts its shadow upon another. In these rare moments the Sun can darken in the daytime, or the full Moon can turn a coppery red.

Solar eclipse

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun's light and casting a shadow onto part of the Earth. For a short time, day can turn to twilight. Never look directly at a solar eclipse — it can seriously damage your eyes. Use proper eclipse glasses or watch the projected image.

Lunar eclipse

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, so Earth's shadow falls on the full Moon. This often makes the Moon glow a deep red. A lunar eclipse is completely safe to watch with the naked eye.

Why not every month?

The Moon orbits Earth roughly every month, so you might expect an eclipse each month. But the Moon's orbit is tilted by about 5° compared with Earth's orbit around the Sun. Usually the Moon passes a little above or below the perfect line, so no shadow falls. Eclipses only happen when the three bodies line up almost exactly.

🌙 In the Qur'an & Sunnah

On the day the Prophet's ﷺ young son Ibrahim passed away, the Sun was eclipsed. Some people claimed it had darkened out of grief for him. The Prophet ﷺ corrected this:

"The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or the life (birth) of anyone. So when you see them, call upon Allah and pray until it clears." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1043, Sahih Muslim 915)

Which body is in the middle?

That single question tells you which eclipse you are looking at — and it is the detail most often got backwards.