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Difficulty: EasyEarth, Moon, and Sun Interactions

Which celestial alignment occurs during a lunar eclipse?

  1. A
    The Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth.
  2. Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon.Answer
  3. C
    The Sun passes directly between Earth and the Moon.
  4. D
    The Moon forms a 90-degree angle relative to the Earth-Sun line.

Answer

Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon.
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon in a straight line (syzygy during a full moon phase). In this configuration, Earth blocks direct sunlight and casts its shadow across the lunar surface.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the object being eclipsed.
The Moon is eclipsed, meaning sunlight cannot reach its surface.
An eclipse of the Moon requires another body to block sunlight from illuminating the lunar surface.
2
Determine the required celestial body positioning.
Earth must be directly between the Sun and the Moon (Sun-Earth-Moon alignment).
Earth's shadow is cast into space and falls onto the full Moon.

Key Concept

Celestial Body Alignment During Eclipses
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Earth, Moon, and Sun Interactions

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