Image: A partial solar eclipse seen from space

Thanks to a quirk of our cosmos, the moon's average distance from Earth is just right for it to appear as the same size in the sky as the significantly larger sun. Once in a while the moon slides directly between Earth and the sun such that it appears to cover our star completely, temporarily blocking out its light and creating a total solar eclipse for those along the narrow path cast by the moon's shadow.

Read the whole article on Physorg

More from Physorg