25 questions and answers

4) How many types of solar eclipses are there?

There are four types of solar eclipses: total, annular, partial, and hybrid.

∅Total: when the Moon completely covers the solar disk. Day turns into night. The temperature drops, the stars come out, animals become confused, and the solar corona (the Sun's outer atmosphere) becomes visible. It is a breathtaking and very brief spectacle: it lasts only a few minutes and is only visible at a specific point on Earth.

∅Annular: when the Moon is at its furthest point from Earth (apogee) and its apparent size is smaller than that of the Sun. Thus, even though it is positioned in the center of the solar disk, it does not completely cover it, and a bright ring of light is visible.

Partial: when the Moon covers only part of the Sun. This is more common and can be observed over a much wider area, but the sky does not become completely dark.

∅Hybrid: This is a rare combination and, depending on where you are in the trajectory, it can be seen in its entirety or canceled out.