article_snippet: The moon and sun are at just the right distance away from Earth that The moon and sun appear to be of the same apparent size in the sky even though the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon.
article_snippet: Today the moon's shadow falls across parts of North Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
article_snippet: The moon follows an elliptical orbit around Earth which means it is sometimes closer to us -- at "perigee" -- and sometimes further away -- at "apogee.
article_snippet: At perigee (as now) the sun will be completely blocked by The moon during totality.
article_snippet: the moon is moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) every year.
article_snippet: There will come a time when the moon will appear to be too small to cover the sun.
highlights_snippet: On March 20 this year the moon's shadow falls across parts of North Africa, Europe and the Middle East .
  
highlights_snippet: the moon is slowly moving away from Earth so there will come a time when the moon will appear to be too small to cover the sun .