Solar Eclipses
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets between Earth and the sun, and the moon casts a shadow over Earth. A solar eclipse can only take place at the phase of new moon, when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and its shadows fall upon Earth’s surface. There are four types of solar eclipses: total, annular, partial and hybrid. Of all solar eclipses, about 28 percent are total; 35 percent are partial; 32 percent annular; and just 5 percent are hybrids.
Total solar eclipses occur when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow (the umbra) on Earth. The darkest point of the eclipse is almost as dark as night.
Partial solar eclipses happen when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, but they don't align in a perfectly straight line. Because of this, the Moon only partially covers the Sun's disc. In a partial solar eclipse, the Sun looks like the Moon has taken a bite out of it. This is because the Moon casts the lighter, outer part of its shadow, the penumbra, on Earth.
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon covers the Sun's center, leaving the Sun's visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the Moon. In an annular eclipse of the Sun, the Moon casts its antumbra - the outer part of the Moon's umbra - on the Earth. Annular solar eclipses can also be seen as partial eclipses from locations outside the Moon's antumbra but inside its penumbra.
A Hybrid Solar Eclipse is a rare form of solar eclipse, which changes from an Annular to a Total Solar Eclipse along its path. A hybrid eclipse happens when the distance between the Earth and moon is so finely balanced that the curvature of the Earth comes into play.
Safety note: do not ever look at the Sun directly during an eclipse unless it is during a total solar eclipse. The bright light of the Sun can damage your eyes very quickly. A total solar eclipse is the only time when it is safe to look directly at the Sun. All other solar observations (even in partial phases) require special solar filters so that you do not harm your eyes.