![[The sun rises behind the United States Capitol Building during a partial solar eclipse.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2021/09/51238521674_3297226a3a_o.jpeg)
Eclipses are a marvel of our Solar System, and it’s only due to the precise alignment of the Sun-Earth-Moon system that they happen at all. This marvel of geometry is worth exploring to understand the different types of eclipses and how often they occur. There are two types of eclipses: solar and lunar. Both rely on light from the Sun being blocked and casting a shadow, but what makes them different is where the human observer is positioned. Total solar eclipses are the most stunning of eclipses. This is when the Moon completely covers the Sun and the world is plunged into near darkness. However, these events are rare, especially if you cannot travel to see one…