Seasons, eclipses, moon phases, & tides

Front

What is a lunar eclipse?

Back

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth's shadow to fall on the moon.

Front

What is a solar eclipse?

Back

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun's light from reaching the Earth.

Front

What is a neap tide?

Back

A neap tide occurs when the sun and moon are at a right angle to each other, resulting in the lowest tidal range.

Front

What is a spring tide?

Back

A spring tide occurs when the sun and moon are aligned, resulting in the highest tidal range.

Front

What causes the seasons on Earth?

Back

The seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis as it revolves around the sun.

Front

What is an equinox?

Back

An equinox is a time of year when day and night are approximately equal in length, occurring when Earth's axis is neither tilted toward nor away from the sun.

Front

What are moon phases?

Back

Moon phases are the different appearances of the moon as seen from Earth, caused by the moon's position relative to the Earth and sun.

Front

What causes the phases of the moon?

Back

The phases of the moon are caused by the changing angles of sunlight hitting the moon as it orbits the Earth.

Front

What is the position of the Earth during a solstice?

Back

During a solstice, one hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun, resulting in the longest day or longest night of the year.

Front

What is the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse?

Back

A solar eclipse occurs during the day when the moon blocks the sun, while a lunar eclipse occurs at night when the Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon.