What is eclipse? How do solar and lunar eclipses occur? In this educational cartoon for kids (preschoolers and elementary school) we explain and show how solar and lunar eclipses occur, what is solar corona, what is partial and what is total eclipse of the Sun, why the Sun changes its shape during solar eclipse, why the Moon becomes red during lunar eclipse.

You may watch all our “Why questions” cartoons in playlist:    • What is thunderstorm? Why questions, ...  

Here is detailed information about eclipses.

Our Sun is many times larger than the Moon. But the Moon is much closer to the Earth than the Sun. The large but distant Sun from the Earth looks the same in size as the small but close Moon. Therefore, if the Moon passes in front of the Sun, it can cover it from us. At the same time, the Moon, as we observe it from the Earth, is not lit by the Sun, therefore we do not see it.
Sometimes the Moon covers the Sun completely and then you can see the solar corona. Such an eclipse is called total. During the total eclipse, even the stars in the sky can be seen. But more often you can see partial eclipses. Then the edge of the Sun will be visible. It looks like a bright sickle of the moon.

What about lunar eclipses? Yes, they can be observed at night.
Of course, the Sun cannot cover the Moon, since it is further away from the Earth.
But the Earth has a shadow, because the Sun always illuminates it from only one side.
In the centre we see a cone of full shadow called umbra, surrounded by partial lighter shade called penumbra.

If the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow … then we observe a lunar eclipse.

Sunlight contains rays of all colors of the rainbow, or of the spectrum.
But the Earth's atmosphere is most transparent to red and orange rays.
That is why the Sun during sunset looks red or orange.