Eclipses

Eclipses are the obscuring of one of the electrical body by another, particularly, moon or sun. The two kinds of eclipses are one in which earth comes in between sun and moon is called Lunar Eclipse while when the moon comes in between sun and earth are called a solar eclipse.

 LUNAR ECLIPSE

Lunar Eclipses occurs when the earth comes in between the sun and the moon. The earth casts a dark conical shadow in the space. The center of the shadow that is dark, called Umbra while the sides that have comparatively less darkness are called Penumbra
LUNAR ECLIPSE

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Umbra is a Latin word that means Dark while Penumbra means partial dark. 

It is to note that lunar eclipse only occurs on the full moon.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is entirely in the umbra region. If the moon passes from the center of the Umbra region, the eclipse will be for 2-4 hours. However, if the moon crosses from the edge of Umbra, the eclipse maybe for a few minutes.
A partial lunar eclipse happens, when a part of the moon passes from the Umbra region, and part of it, obscured by the earth shadow.

SOLAR ECLIPSE

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is between sun and earth. Its shadow moves across the face of the Earth. A solar eclipse always happens at the time of the full moon. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon Umbra reaches the Earth.
SOLAR ECLIPSE
The maximum duration of a solar eclipse is about 7--8 minutes. However, such obscuring is rare, occurs only once in hundreds of years. A total eclipse is visible for about 3-4 minutes.

TOTAL AND PARTIAL ECLIPSE

A total eclipse occurs when all the body, moon, or sun is in the Umbra Region, while the partial eclipse is when a part of the celestial body is in the umbra region.

WHY ISN'T THERE ECLIPSE EVERY MONTH

Moon orbit is slightly inclined to the ecliptic(5.2 degrees). The chance that a full moon will occur just as the moon happens to cross the ecliptic plane is quite low. When the moon happens to lie above or below the plane of the ecliptic, a solar or lunar eclipse cannot occur. Such a configuration terms by astrologer, unfavorable for eclipses to happen.