A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that fully or partially blocks the Sun's light from reaching certain areas

. This alignment happens only when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in a straight line during the new moon phase, and the observer is located in the path of the Moon's shadow

. There are several types of solar eclipses:

• Total solar eclipse : The Moon completely covers the Sun, blocking all direct sunlight and turning day into night for observers in the narrow path of totality, which is typically no more than about 167 miles wide

. During totality, the Sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible

• Annular solar eclipse : The Moon covers the center of the Sun but is too far from Earth to completely cover it, leaving a bright ring or "ring of fire" visible around the Moon's silhouette

• Partial solar eclipse : Only part of the Sun is obscured by the Moon because the three bodies are not perfectly aligned

• Hybrid solar eclipse : A rare type that appears as a total eclipse in some locations and annular in others due to Earth's curvature

Solar eclipses occur two to five times a year, but total eclipses at any given location are rare, happening roughly once every 360 to 410 years

. The Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth's orbit, so the Moon's shadow usually misses Earth, limiting eclipse visibility

. Because looking directly at the Sun during an eclipse can cause permanent eye damage, special viewing glasses or indirect methods must be used except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, which is safe to view with the naked eye

. In summary, a solar eclipse is a natural and spectacular celestial event caused by the Moon blocking the Sun's light from reaching parts of Earth, with variations depending on the alignment and distances of the three bodies