A Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or a portion of the Sun.

A solar eclipse is arguably one of the most thrilling sights on Earth. It occurs when the moon moves in front of the Sun. A solar eclipse happens slowly as the Moon starts its trip across the Sun. It begins like it is taking a small bite out of the Sun. As the Moon gets closer to the center of the Sun the darkness occurs more quickly.

While a small crescent of the sun stays in the sky you can observe an unusual phenomenon with a solar eclipse – thin wavy lines appear that are light and dark that can be seen on light colored surfaces.

These are called shadow bands and are caused by the distortion of Earth’s atmosphere.