What is a eclipse and a solar eclipse?

An eclipse is defined as an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object moves into the shadow of another, partially or fully obscuring it from view. An eclipse on Earth occurs when the Sun, the Earth and the moon are all in a line together. The two primary types of eclipses seen from Earth are the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse. These two types of eclipses can then be broken down into four different types; a total eclipse, partial eclipse, annular eclipse or hybrid eclipse. The term solar eclipse describes the occurrence of when the moon travels between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun’s light from the Earth in the middle of the day, and generally giving the appearance of a ring of light in the darkened sky. During a lunar eclipse, the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth during night time hours, gradually blocking the view of the moon form the Earth. Eclipses have also been known to occur on other planets as well. On Earth, there can be anywhere from four to seven eclipses of varying degrees within any given year.