h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Eclipses happen about once every 18 months when the moon passes in front of the sun, breafly blocking it out. The reason it is not every new moon is that the plane of orbit of the moon is at 5 degrees and so the planes only cross, while passing in front of the sun, occasionaly.

The reason there is all this fuss is that the eclipses, when they happen, usually pass over water as so much of the Earth is water so when they go over land, such as the August 11 one loads of people can see it. Plus, during a total eclipse you get to see the suns coronar ( the atmosphere of the sun) which is very interesting as well as occasional bursts of flame from the surface. But to the average observer it is just a rare and spectaulary butiful sight. So make sure you are on the line of totality or you won't see it.

But please don't look at the partially eclipsed sun (Iknow it it boaring but it it important)

Yeliab Salohcin