Did You Know: Space – Can it be dark in the daytime?
A solar eclipse can cause it to be dark on Earth during the daytime. This is when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun. The moon blocks out the sunlight, making some places on Earth become dark.
How a solar eclipse works
When the moon reaches a certain point in its orbit, it sometimes passes directly between the Earth and the sun. The moon is smaller than the sun, but, because it is closer to Earth, it can block out the sun’s light completely.
Sometimes only part of the sun is covered— this is called a partial eclipse.
Sun’s corona
When the moon covers the sun, the sun’s atmosphere can be seen. This is known as the “corona.”
Diamond ring
Just at the point when the moon covers the sun, a beautiful flash of light can be seen. This is called the “Diamond Ring.”
Are there other types of eclipses?
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse is when the Earth passes between the moon and the sun.
Earth’s shadow makes the moon go dark, but some sunlight reaches the moon and causes it to appear red.
Venus transit
Sometimes Venus and Mercury pass between the Earth and the sun. This is called a transit.
The black dot here shows Venus crossing the sun.