Solar eclipses can be classed into three types:
1) Total Solar Eclipse Occur when the umbra of the Moon’s shadow touches a region on the surface of the Earth
2) Partial Solar Eclipse Occur when the penumbra of the Moon’s shadow passes over a region on the Earth’s surface
3) Annular Solar Eclipse Occur when a region on the Earth’s surface is in line with the umbra, but the distances are such that the tip of the umbra does not reach the Earth’s surface
Watch a preview of The Solar Eclipse in Varanasi - Wonders of the Solar System by BBC Two
SOLAR ECLIPSE << Back to Part 1