Why isn't it possible to have a full moon and a solar eclipse at the same time?

Question

Why isn't it possible to have a full moon and a solar eclipse at the same time?

Answer 1

For a solar eclipse, the Moon has to be between the Earth and the Sun.  The Moon is at "New Moon" phase at this time.

For an eclipse of the Moon, the Moon has to go into the shadow of the Earth.  When the shadow of the Earth is on the Moon, the Moon has to be fully illuminated - so it has to be a Full Moon.

Answer 2

During a solar eclipse the Sun is behind the Moon (when seen from the Earth) and thus is illuminating the other side. The side facing you is completely dark, i.e. New Moon.

Answer 3

For a solar eclipse to occur, the moon must come between the sun and the Earth, right? So, if it's between the sun and the Earth, the side of the moon facing Earth is not lit by the sun, right? For the side of the moon facing Earth to be fully lit, i.e. a full moon, the moon has to be on the opposite side of Earth from the sun. It's really quite simple; I'm sure you'd have figured it out by yourself if you had just taken a moment to think it through. Don't be afraid of your brain, it's there to be used.

Answer 4

The reason the moon is full is because it is furthest from the sun in it's orbit about Earth - we're seeing the side that faces Earth fully-lit by the sun.  

In order for a solar eclipse to occur, the moon has to be in between the Earth and Sun - and a full moon is just the opposite - it's the time when the Earth is or nearly is in between the Moon and the Sun.

Answer 5

Because the moon is between the sun and the earth.  The sunlight is falling on the side away from the earth and so can't be seen.

Answer 6

Because what we see of the moon is a reflection of sunlight onto the surface of the moon, bouncing back at us.  Like using a mirror to redirect light.

Most of the time, the moon is off to the side of the sun, and as the earth moves through the month, we see differing parts of the moon's reflection.

However, an eclipse is when the moon moves between the earth and the sun.

We're on the wrong side of the moon at that time to see the reflection of the sun, thus no full moon.

Possibly better explained than I did - http://www.neverthirsty.org/pp/historica...

Feel free to ignore the religion stuff in it - this one might help as well - http://www.mreclipse.com/

Answer 7

But I thought that if you have a solar eclipse then youd have to have a full moon (circle) to cover the sun yea?

Answer 8

It has to do with the shadow of the earth/sun on the moon. When there is a solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the earth. Because of this, the half of the moon that gets no sunlight will face the earth.  

Answer 9

a solar eclipse is at a *new* moon. that's how it works.