How to watch a solar eclipse
A solar eclipse is a celestial phenomenon occurring when the Moon appears to block out the Sun.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzFilming Alaska's black bears (Ursus americanus) in their natural habitat.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The pilot black snake (Elaphe obsoleta) uses its platelike scales to travel with an easy gliding motion.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.We've feared them, revered them, and recorded them. Watch this video to learn about how cats became pets.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Explanation of how objects under the influence of gravity move in orbits.
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NASAThis time-lapse film shows the formation and dissolution of granules, updrafts of gas that form convection cells on the surface of the Sun. Each granule is about 1,500 kilometres wide and lives for about 20 minutes before either dissolving or exploding into other granules.
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© World Science Festival (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Explore general relativity.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.An overview of spatial relationships between the Sun, the Moon, and Earth during eclipses of the Sun and the Moon.
News •
Stunning solar eclipse photos reveal giant hole and mysterious 'smoke rings' in the sun's atmosphere
• Oct. 29, 2026, 8:00 AM ET (Space)
Transcript
NARRATOR 1: From the air the scientists in this flying laboratory would observe and record one of nature's most spectacular displays: a total eclipse of the sun.
NARRATOR 2: What is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse is a celestial phenomenon occurring when the Moon appears to block out the Sun. Although the Sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon’s, the Sun is also about 400 times farther from Earth than the Moon is. These numbers make the Sun and the Moon appear the same size from Earth, allowing them to block each other out when their orbit lines up with Earth. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon only blocks some of the Sun… …while an annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers all but a small ring of the Sun. However, if the Moon blocks out the Sun completely, the solar eclipse is said to be total! The process of a total solar eclipse lasts a couple hours and begins as the Moon starts to cover the Sun. At the climax of the solar eclipse, the Moon fully covers the Sun, and the sky goes completely dark. Although it only lasts for about two to five minutes, it feels just like nighttime! Solar eclipses are relatively infrequent, occurring two to five times a year. Total solar eclipses are even more rare and occur an average of 66 times in a century. Even when they occur, solar eclipses are only visible from select spots on Earth. In total solar eclipses, the full experience is only visible within a “band of totality,” which is typically about 100 miles wide, making them even rarer to view in-person. However, solar eclipses can be dangerous to look at directly. Those lucky enough to view one in-person should only look at the solar eclipse through specialized viewing glasses in order to avoid permanent eye damage.
NARRATOR 2: What is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse is a celestial phenomenon occurring when the Moon appears to block out the Sun. Although the Sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon’s, the Sun is also about 400 times farther from Earth than the Moon is. These numbers make the Sun and the Moon appear the same size from Earth, allowing them to block each other out when their orbit lines up with Earth. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon only blocks some of the Sun… …while an annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers all but a small ring of the Sun. However, if the Moon blocks out the Sun completely, the solar eclipse is said to be total! The process of a total solar eclipse lasts a couple hours and begins as the Moon starts to cover the Sun. At the climax of the solar eclipse, the Moon fully covers the Sun, and the sky goes completely dark. Although it only lasts for about two to five minutes, it feels just like nighttime! Solar eclipses are relatively infrequent, occurring two to five times a year. Total solar eclipses are even more rare and occur an average of 66 times in a century. Even when they occur, solar eclipses are only visible from select spots on Earth. In total solar eclipses, the full experience is only visible within a “band of totality,” which is typically about 100 miles wide, making them even rarer to view in-person. However, solar eclipses can be dangerous to look at directly. Those lucky enough to view one in-person should only look at the solar eclipse through specialized viewing glasses in order to avoid permanent eye damage.
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