Page 3 - Lesson Note-Eclipses

4) Align all three in a straight line: Flashlight → Moon → Earth
5) Observe the shadow of the Moon falling on the Earth—this is a solar eclipse.
6) Now switch positions and place the Moon on the far side, behind the Earth.
7) Now align: Flashlight → Earth → Moon
8) Observe the shadow of the Earth falling on the Moon—this is a lunar eclipse.

ECLIPSE SHADOW ART

Objective: To observe the crescent shapes of the Sun during a partial solar
eclipse using natural or household items to project shadows.

Materials Needed: A strainer, hole-punched paper, or tree leaves with holes, a white
paper (to catch the shadows), direct sunlight (preferably during a partial solar
eclipse), Eclipse safety glasses (for direct viewing, optional but recommended)

Process:-

• Pick any of the materials: strainer, tree leaves with a hole, etc.
• Go outside during the partial solar eclipse when the Sun is still visible.(Make
sure you're not looking directly at the Sun).
• Hold your Object so that sunlight passes through the holes.
• Place the white paper below on the ground or a flat surface where the sunlight
passes through the holes.
• Look at the pattern of light spots on the paper. Instead of regular circles, you'll
see tiny crescent shapes—these are projections of the Sun during the eclipse!

What’s Happening?

• Normally, holes project round sunlight patterns.
• During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon partially blocks the Sun, so the
projected light becomes crescent-shaped, showing the eclipsed Sun.

Concept Extensions – For Curious Minds
• Eclipses do not happen every month as the Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5° to
Earth’s orbit.
• The Moon is moving away from Earth about 3.8 cm/year. In the far future,
total solar eclipses may no longer occur.
• Eclipses repeat in a pattern called the Saros Cycle: every 18 years, 11 days,
and 8 hours.