Explaining The Universe on Instagram: "A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on part of Earth’s surface and blocking some or all of the Sun’s light. This can only occur during a new moon, when the Moon is positioned on the same side of Earth as the Sun. There are different types of solar eclipses: a total eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun and day briefly turns to night; a partial eclipse, where only part of the Sun is