Discussion Questions: Solar Eclipses

• What is happening to the Sun as seen from Earth during a solar eclipse? Either describe or draw it.
• Why can a solar eclipse happen only during a new Moon phase?
• What would a solar eclipse look like if the Moon were smaller than it is now?
• Using two balls of quite different sizes, see if you can demonstrate why the Moon and Sun appear to be the same size when viewed from Earth.
• Based on what you now know about a solar eclipse, try to explain what happens during a lunar eclipse. (Hint: They only can happen when there is a full Moon!)