A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the Suns light. The Moons orbit is tilted 5 degrees to Earths orbit around the Sun, so a solar eclipse is a relatively rare phenomenon. There are different types of solar eclipses, including:

• Total solar eclipse: This occurs when the Moon completely obscures the face of the Sun, and is visible from a narrow path on Earth. During a total solar eclipse, the corona (the outer layer of the Suns atmosphere) becomes visible.

• Partial solar eclipse: This occurs when the Moon only partially covers the Sun, and is visible from a larger area on Earth than a total solar eclipse.

• Annular solar eclipse: This occurs when the Moon is near its farthest point from Earth, and appears smaller than the Sun, creating a ring of light around the Moon.

• Hybrid solar eclipse: This is the rarest type of solar eclipse, and is a combination of a total and annular eclipse.

Solar eclipses only occur during a new moon phase, which happens about twice a year. Looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can be dangerous and should be avoided without proper eye protection.