Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event. It is when one object in the sky moves into the shadow of another such object. When an eclipse happens within a system of stars, like the Solar System, it makes a type of syzygy. This means that three or more objects in the sky are lined up in a straight line in the same gravitational system.[1]
The term eclipse is most often used to describe a solar eclipse, when the Moon's shadow crosses the Earth's surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the shadow of Earth. No solar eclipse can last longer than 7 minutes and 58 seconds because of the speed at which the Earth and Moon move.
When the Sun is not involved, the event is called occultation.
Etymology[change | change source]
The word comes from the ancient Greek noun ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis), which is from the verb ἐκλείπω (ekleípō). This means "to cease (stop) to exist (be there)".[2][3] [4]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Staff (March 31, 1981). "Science Watch: A Really Big Syzygy" (Press release). The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
- ↑ http://www.in.gr/dictionary/lookup.asp?Word=%E5%EA%EB%E5%DF%F0%F9+++&x=0&y=0
- ↑ http://www.lingvozone.com/main.jsp?action=translation&do=dictionary&language_id_from=23&language_id_to=8&word=%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%AF%CF%80%CF%89+&t.x=55&t.y=16
- ↑ Google Translation