Eclipse of the Sun

Eclipse of the Moon

     "An Eclipse is that Obscuration or Deprivation of Light, in any of the heavenly Bodies, caus'd by some other coming betwewn the Sun and that Body. There are various Kinds of Eclipses in the Heavens, but those of the Sun and Moon are most remarkable" [1].

Eclipse of the Sun- The eclipse of the Sun [or more the Earth] is caused by a new moon revolving between the Sun and Earth. Because the Moon is much smaller than the Earth, only part of the Earth is covered with a shadow. "The Sun's Eclipse always begins on the West, and ends on the East Side his Body. The Reason is, because the Moon, which is always the cause of this Obscurity, moving round her Orbit from West to East, must necessarily first arrive at, and touch the Sun's Western Limb, and go off at the Eastern." The Sun and Moon's diameters are nearly equal, so the duration of the Eclipse of the Sun can only last up to two minutes, but the Solar Eclipse in its entirety may last up to 2.5 hours. An Eclipse of the Sun is only visible by day, and even though there are twelve new moons a year, it is rare to have more than four eclipses [2].

Eclipse of the Moon-  An eclipse of the Moon is caused by Earth being positioned between the Sun and the Moon; it can only occur at the full moon. "An Eclipse of the Moon appears to all Parts where it is visible to the same in Quantity and Duration as it really is. For the Moon being an opaque Body, shining only with a reflected Light from the Sun, is depriv'd of that Light by being immers'd in the Earth's Shadow." This eclipse is opposite of one from the Sun by beginning on the east and ending on the west. It is rare for the darkness to continue longer than 1.75 hours or the whole eclipse more than 3.75 hours. An eclipse of the Moon is only visible by night, and even though there are twelve full moons a year, no more than three suffer an eclipse [3].