Lunar vs Solar Eclipses (newbie)

Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

Thanks,

Hale

"Hale" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

"Hale" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Hale wrote:

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

No; I think you have it backwards, and *both* solar and lunar
eclipses require a fairly precise alignment, the Moon being at new or
full phase when it's on or very near one of its nodes. Consider the
size difference between the Earth and the Moon: the former casts a
much larger shadow than the latter. During a lunar eclipse, the
Earth's shadow covers the entire lunar disc, and so is visible from
anywhere in the half of the world (generally the 'night side') from
which the Moon can be seen.

Conversely, during a solar eclipse the Moon casts a rather small
shadow on the Earth, and a total eclipse is only visible from a
position right in the shadow. As a solar eclipse progresses the
shadow tracks across the earth's surface. Within this narrow band a
total eclipse is visible (assuming the alignment is good enough --
many eclipses are no better than partial no matter where they're
observed from), from a broader adjacent region to either side it will
appear only partial, and from a certain distance away from this track
it's a 'clean miss'.

The upshot is that although there are about the same number of solar
and lunar eclipses, by and large, in a given period of time, while
about half of the world's population will have an opportunity to see
each lunar eclipse, only a small fraction will see each solar eclipse
-- even counting the 'astro-tourists' who travel long distances to
catch a view.

See

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html

for all manner of eclipse data and maps to illustrate the above remarks.

FWIW I've never seen a total solar eclipse (although I've seen about
three or four partial ones, up to about 80% obscuration of the solar
disc) but I've seen several total lunar eclipses (and quite a few
partials as well).

--
Odysseus

Hale wrote:

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

No; I think you have it backwards, and *both* solar and lunar
eclipses require a fairly precise alignment, the Moon being at new or
full phase when it's on or very near one of its nodes. Consider the
size difference between the Earth and the Moon: the former casts a
much larger shadow than the latter. During a lunar eclipse, the
Earth's shadow covers the entire lunar disc, and so is visible from
anywhere in the half of the world (generally the 'night side') from
which the Moon can be seen.

Conversely, during a solar eclipse the Moon casts a rather small
shadow on the Earth, and a total eclipse is only visible from a
position right in the shadow. As a solar eclipse progresses the
shadow tracks across the earth's surface. Within this narrow band a
total eclipse is visible (assuming the alignment is good enough --
many eclipses are no better than partial no matter where they're
observed from), from a broader adjacent region to either side it will
appear only partial, and from a certain distance away from this track
it's a 'clean miss'.

The upshot is that although there are about the same number of solar
and lunar eclipses, by and large, in a given period of time, while
about half of the world's population will have an opportunity to see
each lunar eclipse, only a small fraction will see each solar eclipse
-- even counting the 'astro-tourists' who travel long distances to
catch a view.

See

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html

for all manner of eclipse data and maps to illustrate the above remarks.

FWIW I've never seen a total solar eclipse (although I've seen about
three or four partial ones, up to about 80% obscuration of the solar
disc) but I've seen several total lunar eclipses (and quite a few
partials as well).

--
Odysseus

In article , "Wally Anglesea" wrote:

"Hale" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Or because a significant proportion of the earth's population can see a
lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by someone in the
umbral or prenumbral shadow.

In article , "Wally Anglesea" wrote:

"Hale" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Or because a significant proportion of the earth's population can see a
lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by someone in the
umbral or prenumbral shadow.

"Tom Kerr" wrote in message
...
In article , "Wally
Anglesea" wrote:

"Hale" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a
solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are
in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar
eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is
this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the
following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Or because a significant proportion of the earth's population can see a
lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by someone in the
umbral or prenumbral shadow.

You said it far more clearly than I could.

"Tom Kerr" wrote in message
...
In article , "Wally
Anglesea" wrote:

"Hale" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I need to figure out which people have seen mo a lunar or a
solar
eclipse. Here is my theory, please tell me if I'm right or wrong (if
wrong,
tell me why)

More people have seen a solar eclipse.

Is it because the 5 degree orbit of the moon w/ respect to the
elliptic. There are very few times a year the moon, Earth, and sun are
in
perfect alignment that can cause a lunar eclipse, whereas a solar
eclipse
does not matter on the alignment of the three celestial bodies. Is
this
correct?

I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the
following
reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Or because a significant proportion of the earth's population can see a
lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by someone in the
umbral or prenumbral shadow.

You said it far more clearly than I could.

Hello,

Wally Anglesea wrote:
[...]
I would imagine that more people have seen Lunar eclipses for the
following reasons:

1: They happen more often.
2: The Earth casts a larger shadow over the moon, so the opportunity for
observation, and the optimum path on Earth is far larger.
3: Totality of a Lunar eclipse lasts longer (because of 2)

Or because a significant proportion of the earth's population can see a
lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by someone in the
umbral or prenumbral shadow.

Just one small point here. Actually, the solar eclipses happen just
a bit more often than lunar eclipses.

Regards,

- Alex