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What type of eclipse occurs in the arrangement of sun, moon, and Earth?

  1. Lunar eclipse

  2. Solar eclipse

  3. Partial eclipse

  4. Penumbral eclipse

The correct answer is: Solar eclipse

In the context of eclipses, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes directly between the Earth and the Sun, resulting in the Moon blocking a portion or all of the Sun's light as viewed from Earth. This arrangement requires a precise alignment where the Moon is in the new moon phase. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, while during a partial solar eclipse, only a part of the Sun is obscured. Understanding the relationship of the three celestial bodies is essential. For a solar eclipse to happen, the observer on Earth must be situated in the path of the Moon's shadow, which is cast as it moves across the Sun. This alignment happens relatively infrequently due to the tilt of the Moon's orbit relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Other types of eclipses, such as lunar eclipses or different forms like partial or penumbral eclipses, involve different alignments and occur at different times in the lunar cycle. In a lunar eclipse, the Earth lies directly between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon. This critical distinction clarifies why a solar eclipse specifically requires the Sun, Moon, and Earth to be in the arrangement that leads to the Moon blocking