article_snippet: When a solar eclipse occurs, what you’re witnessing is Earth, moon and the sun aligning. '
article_snippet: Eclipses can only really happen at a new moon.
article_snippet: With this in mind, it’s quite easy to think that we should get an eclipse every month but because the moon’s orbit around  
article_snippet: It’s only really at least twice a year that the geometry lines up just right to make an eclipse for observers in a particular part of the world. '
article_snippet: As a result, the sun and a new moon have the same size in the sky to make a partial or total eclipse. '
article_snippet: There are two types of eclipse - a partial and a total.
article_snippet: During a partial solar eclipse, only some of the sun
article_snippet: With a total eclipse, all of the Sun’s surface gets covered by a new moon, creating a shadow that is projected onto EarthEarth.
article_snippet: However, when a new moon passes in front of the sun, we don’t always get a total eclipse. '
article_snippet: Instead, we get an annular eclipse, also known as a ‘ring of fire’ - that’s when a new moon is at a further distance from Earth in Earth orbit and therefore appears smaller, unable to cover the Sun’s disc entirely. '