• Question: Hi, How does an eclipse happen and how are planets created? Thanks

    Asked by sgill to Arttu, Ceri, James_M, Monica, Philip on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: James M Monk

      James M Monk answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth is exactly between the Sun and the Moon; the Earth casts a shadow on the Moon so it is not lit up. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth, so from some locations on the Earth it is not possible to see the Sun.

      Planets are created in a similar manner to the Sun – a large cloud of gas and dust collapses under its own gravitational attraction and clumps together into stars and planets.

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