Solar eclipses happen during the day?

Question

like when the sun is still out in the daytime they occur?

Answer 1

Yes, like Stardust said, you can't have a solar eclipse without the sun.

Answer 2

The Moon cycles through its phases during its 29.5-day orbit around Earth. While the Sun always illuminates half of the Moon, the apparent shape of the Moon as seen from Earth depends on Earth's relative position. For example, at full moon, the Moon appears as a full disk because Earth is between the Moon and the Sun and the illuminated side faces Earth. But at new moon, when the Moon is between the Sun and Earth, the Moon seems to be gone because the lit side faces away from Earth. A solar eclipse is only possible during the new moon phase, when the Moon's shadow can be cast on Earth. During the full moon, Earth's shadow can be cast on the Moon, resulting in a lunar eclipse.

There are several different types of eclipses, corresponding to how the Sun, Earth, and Moon align. The shadows of the Moon and Earth each have two parts. The umbra is the central part of the shadow where sunlight is completely blocked; the penumbra is the outer area where sunlight is only partially blocked. Depending on which part of the Moon's shadow is cast on Earth, a solar eclipse can be partial, annular, or total. Similarly, there are three types of lunar eclipses -- penumbral, partial, and total -- depending on which section of Earth's shadow the Moon passes through.

Eclipses do not happen at the new and full moon every month because, for most of its orbit, the Moon is above or below the ecliptic plane -- the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. Only when the Moon's orbit crosses through the ecliptic plane, can the Sun, Moon, and Earth align to produce an eclipse. This occurs at least twice a year, at varying times, for a period of a few weeks. During such seasons, there will always be a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse. Occasionally, the three bodies also align at other times of the year, producing up to seven eclipses in one year.

Though eclipses are common, total eclipses are quite rare. It is a special treat to witness a total solar eclipse, which happens only about once every 1.5 years, lasts only a few minutes, and is only visible along a narrow path. Lunar eclipses, on the other hand, can last as long as a couple of hours, are often easily observed with the naked eye, and are visible from the entire nighttime side of Earth.

Answer 3

Yes, as you may know, solar is another word for the Sun. So for it to be a solar eclipse to be, that means the sun's light is blocked out by the moon.

The word lunar is another term referring to the Moon. So therefore, a lunar eclipse is when the moonlight is blocked out by the Earth.

Answer 4

A solar eclipse is when the sun is blocked by the moon or when the moon casts a shadow on the earth.  It only happens when there is a new moon.  The new moon is the opposite of the full moon.  Full moon is when you can see the entire moon.  This is when the sun reflects completely on the moon.  The new moon happens when the moon is between the earth and the sun.  At this point we cannot see the light reflecting on the moon because we are behind it.

In contrast, a lunar eclipse is when the moon is full.  The earth actually casts a shadow on the moon.

Answer 5

Yes - the sun need to be in the sky for us to see it eclipsed!