Lunar vs Solar Eclipses (newbie) (possible repost)

I apologize if this got posted twice.....

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

Actually it's the other way around. A lunar eclipse is visible to a larger
portion of the earth's population than a solar eclipse, in general. The
earth's shadow is bigger than the moon's and as long as the moon is above
the horizon where you live, you can see the eclipse; in the case of a solar
eclipse, you have to be directly underneath the moon's much smaller shadow
to see the moon pass in front of the sun. For a total eclipse, the shadow
on the earth's surface is only a couple of hundred kms in diameter, which is
why so few people have seen a total solar eclipse.

Mark


"Hale" wrote in message
...
I apologize if this got posted twice.....

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

Actually it's the other way around. A lunar eclipse is visible to a larger
portion of the earth's population than a solar eclipse, in general. The
earth's shadow is bigger than the moon's and as long as the moon is above
the horizon where you live, you can see the eclipse; in the case of a solar
eclipse, you have to be directly underneath the moon's much smaller shadow
to see the moon pass in front of the sun. For a total eclipse, the shadow
on the earth's surface is only a couple of hundred kms in diameter, which is
why so few people have seen a total solar eclipse.

Mark


"Hale" wrote in message
...
I apologize if this got posted twice.....

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