Question

Give reason:

Eclipses do not occur on each new moon or full moon day.

Answer 1

• The orbital path of the earth and that of the moon are not in the same plane.
• The moon’s revolutionary orbit makes an angle of about 5° with that of the earth.
• So, the sun, the earth and the moon may not be in one straight line in the same plane on every new moon or full moon day.
• Hence, eclipses do not occur on each new moon or full moon day.