What causes solar and lunar eclipses, respectively?

• A. The Sun is blocked by Earth during a lunar eclipse
• B. The Sun passes behind the Moon during a solar eclipse
• C. The Moon passes between the Sun and Earth during a solar eclipse
• D. The Earth passes between the Sun and Moon during a lunar eclipse

Answer: (D)

Eclipses happen when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up so that light is blocked from reaching someone or something. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, casting a shadow on parts of Earth and blocking the Sun’s light there. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, so the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon and can make it appear dark or reddish. The statement that the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon during a lunar eclipse captures the correct alignment that causes that type of eclipse. It reminds you that, in this case, the Earth, not the Moon, is the one blocking sunlight from reaching the Moon. For the solar eclipse, the opposite arrangement—the Moon between the Sun and the Earth—produces that eclipse.