How does the 5-degree tilt of the Moon’s orbit affect eclipses?

The 5-degree tilt of the Moon’s orbital plane relative to the ecliptic—the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun—is the primary reason why solar eclipses and lunar eclipses do not occur every month.123

Because of this inclination, the Moon typically passes above or below the Sun during a new moon and avoids Earth’s shadow during a full moon. For an eclipse to occur, the Moon must be near a node—the specific points where the Moon’s orbital path crosses the ecliptic.1234

When the Sun is near one of these nodes, the Earth, Moon, and Sun align closely enough for an eclipse to take place. These periods, known as eclipse seasons, occur roughly every six months. Consequently, the tilt ensures that eclipses are relatively infrequent events rather than monthly occurrences.4213