Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses

Background

The Earth is a planet that, together with seven other planets, forms our solar system in which all of the planets revolve
around the Sun. The time that it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun is 365 days, or one year. The Earth also
rotates around its own axis, making a complete rotation every 24 hours, or one day. The Earth has one Moon, which
revolves around the Earth once every month, or approximately every 30 days. The revolution of the Moon around the
Earth is not perfectly circular, but it follows an elliptical (or oval-shaped) path. When their revolutions cause the Sun,
Earth and Moon to be aligned, special events called “eclipses” occur. A solar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Sun is
blocked out by the Moon as viewed from the Earth (Figure 1). This occurs on average 1-2 times per year (see Note 1 for
solar eclipses in 2020-2021). A total solar eclipse occurs when the entire Sun is blocked by the Moon due to the
alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon, and a partial solar eclipse occurs when only part of the Sun is blocked by the
Moon when it crosses the path of the light of the Sun onto Earth. Your location on Earth at the time of the eclipse
determines whether you see a total or partial eclipse. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is at its farthest
point in its elliptical path of orbit around the Earth, so it is only capable of blocking out part of the Sun, leaving the
periphery of the Sun still visible.

Figure 1 Solar Eclipse

The Moon is between
the Sun and Earth during
a solar eclipse.
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |2

A lunar eclipse occurs during a full Moon as the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow and sunlight on the Moon is
blocked by the Earth (Figure 2). This differs from a solar eclipse: instead of the Moon blocking light from the Sun onto
Earth, the Earth blocks light from the Sun onto the Moon, so that the Moon cannot be seen from Earth. A penumbral
lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon are not fully aligned and the Moon passes through the shadow of
the Earth, but it does not pass through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the
entire moon is in the Earth’s darkest shadow. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only part of the Moon is within the
Earth’s darkest shadow. Lunar eclipses usually occur around 2-3 times per year (see Note 2 for lunar eclipses in 2020-
2021).

Figure 2 Lunar Eclipse

The Earth is between the
Sun and Moon during a
lunar eclipse.

In this lesson plan, we will model the movements of the Earth and Moon relative to the Sun during a solar and lunar
eclipse. We will also make a pinhole camera to show the how light from the Sun onto the Earth is blocked by the Moon
during a solar eclipse and demonstrate how to view a solar eclipse safely.

Objectives & Grade Level

Illustrate that the Earth revolves around the Sun and that the Moon revolves around the Earth, and how the positions of
the Sun, Earth and Moon with respect to one another can cause solar and lunar eclipses. Demonstrate how to make a
safe viewer for a solar eclipse. Appropriate for middle school to first year high school science classes.
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |3

Materials
Model of the Sun, Earth and Moon
• Spheres for the Sun, Earth and Moon (e.g., 3 styrofoam spheres of different sizes; see Note 3 for relative sizes
of the Sun, Earth and Moon)
• Wood strips to support the planets (e.g., from a recycling store)
• String to suspend the planets, ~10 ft; hooks made from bent paper clips; glue
• Yard stick to measure planet diameters and distances of the planet from one another
Simulation of Solar Eclipse
• Light source – flashlight or cell phone light
• Camera (e.g., cell phone camera)
Solar Eclipse Viewer
• Cardboard box, medium size
• Small square aluminum foil, ~ 2 in x 2 in
• Pin or thumb tack, scissors, Scotch tape
• White paper, 1 sheet

Procedure
Model of the Sun, Earth and Moon
1. Design a model of the planets using wood strips as supports and string to suspend the planets, as shown below
in Figure 3 (see Note 4):

Figure 3 Model of the Sun, Earth

and Moon Three spheres are
suspended by string from wood
strips so that the Earth and Moon
can revolve around the Sun and
the Moon can revolve around the
Earth.
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |4

2. Assemble the model, making sure that the Earth and Moon can each revolve around the next larger sphere, as
well as rotate around its own axis. If you are having problems with the assembly, you can simply position the
spheres on a surface, as shown below, and move them relative to one another:

Simulation of Solar Eclipse

1. Using a small flashlight or a cell phone light, project light from the Sun onto the Earth while rotating the Moon
around the Earth.
At which position of the planets does the Moon block light from the Sun onto the Earth? View the three planets
from the side to see the relative configuration of the three planets. Are the planets aligned with one another?
Where would you have to be standing on your model of Earth to see a total eclipse of the Sun? Where would you
have to be standing to see a partial eclipse of the Sun?

2. Rotate the planets relative to one another to find the configuration in which the Earth blocks light from the Sun
onto the Moon. How does this configuration of the planets differ from that in which the Moon blocks light from the
Sun onto the Earth?
Where would you have to be standing on your model of Earth to see a total eclipse of the Moon? Where would
you have to be standing to see a partial eclipse of the Moon?
Where would the Moon have to be relative to the Earth and Sun for you to see a penumbral lunar eclipse in
which the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow but not through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow?

Solar Eclipse Viewer

Bright light from the Sun can be harmful, causing sunburns and damage to your skin. Your eyes are much more sensitive
to bright sunlight than your skin and, because of this, it is not safe to look directly into the Sun even for a short time
without protecting your eyes from damage by the Sun. This makes viewing a solar eclipse problematic, as you will want
to look at the Sun to see when the Moon blocks the light from the Sun. However, it is possible to view a solar eclipse
safely with a special Solar Eclipse Viewer. This viewer can be easily made from a cardboard box and aluminum foil so
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |5

that you can watch the Moon passing between the Sun and Earth during the solar eclipse without looking directly at the
Sun and hurting your eyes.

To make a Solar Eclipse Viewer (Figure 4A), follow the steps below:
1. Take a medium-sized cardboard box and cut two small eye-sized holes of ~½ inch diameter in one end of the
box, positioning the holes so that you can look through a hole with one eye and a friend can look through the
other hole at the same time. Be careful not to hurt your hand with the scissors! If you have trouble with this step,
ask a parent or your teacher to help you make the holes.

2. Cut a ¾ inch by ¾ inch square in the same end of the box.

3. Cover the hole with small square of aluminum foil of approximately 2 inches by 2 inches, taping the edges to the
box. Poke a small hole in the aluminum foil with a pin or thumb tack. Be careful not to poke your finger!

4. Tape white paper onto the inside of the box on the side opposite to the eye holes. You should be able to see an
image of the eclipse on the white paper at the back of the box when you stand with your back to the Sun and
look into the Solar Eclipse Viewer through one of the eye holes and the light enters the pinhole (Figure 4B).
Another way of viewing an eclipse safely is to look at the sidewalk under a leafy tree: the small gaps between
the leaves act like the pinhole in the Solar Eclipse Viewer so that sunlight passing through the leaves will
produce many images of the Moon passing in front of the Sun (Figure 4C). A pinhole camera without an
enclosed box can also be used to project images of a solar eclipse onto a sheet of white paper (Figure 4D).

5. Test your viewer by asking a friend to shine a flashlight or light from a cell phone onto the pin hole while you
and another friend look through the eye holes at the white paper (or you can block the other eye hole with the
inside flap of the cardboard box).
What do you see?

Now ask your friend with the light to hold the Moon from your model of the Sun, Earth and Moon between the
light and you so that the light is partially or completely blocked. This simulates the peak of a solar eclipse.

What do you see when you look at the white paper at the back of the box through the eye hole? See Figure 4B
for an example of what you might see.

Finally, ask your friend to hold the light and move the Moon through the light path, while you and another
friend look into the viewer. This simulates the movement of the Moon during a solar eclipse.
Can you see the partial silhouette of the Moon as it passes in front of the light and then forms a mirror image
silhouette on the other side of the light?
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |6

Figure 4 Solar Eclipse Viewer A) Eclipse viewer made from a cardboard box
(8½ in2 opening). Sunlight through the pinhole forms an image on the paper in
the box which is viewed through the eye holes. B) Solar eclipse simulated by
shining a bright light onto a planet representing the Moon; the light enters
through the pinhole and is viewed through an eye hole. C) Solar eclipse viewed
through leaves of a tree or D) by projecting the image from a pinhole camera
onto a sheet of paper without a box (photos in C and D by S. Han & L. Fee,
shown with permission).

Notes
1. Solar Eclipse Dates (see https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html)
Solar Eclipse Date Location
Annular Eclipse June 21, 2020 Africa (Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia), Pakistan, India, China
Total Eclipse Dec 14, 2020 South America (Chile, Argentina), Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean
Annular Eclipse June 10, 2021 Russia, Greenland, Canada
Total Eclipse Dec 4, 2021 Antarctica

2. Lunar Eclipse Dates (see https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html)

Lunar Eclipse Date Location
Penumbral Eclipse June 5, 2020 Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa
Penumbral Eclipse July 5, 2020 North America, South America, Africa
Penumbral Eclipse Nov 30, 2020 North America, South America, Australia, Asia
Total Eclipse May 26, 2021 Australia, North America, South America, Asia
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |7

3. Relative Sizes and Distances of the Sun, Earth and Moon

Planet Diameter (D) D, Relative to Moon D
Moon 3,476 km 1
Earth 12,756 km ~3.5
Sun 1,392,000 km ~400

Distance (d) d, Relative to Moon D

Earth to Moon 384,000 km ~110
Earth to Sun 150,000,000 km ~43,000

4. We used a 3D printer to make spheres representing the Sun, Earth and Moon with diameters of 175 mm, 57 mm and
15 mm. The Sun is smaller by ~10-fold relative to the Earth and Moon because of the maximum size the 3D printer could
print; however, the Earth and Moon are scaled to their actual sizes relative to one another. The STL file that we used to
3D print the planets is available with this lesson plan. The 3D printed planets were made on a Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer
with PLA filament, printing at 210°C extruder temperature, 70°C bed temperature, 5% infill, 0.4 mm wall thickness and
0.2 mm layer height. The STL file was imported three times; the sizing was changed each time and the planets were
printed to the sizes given above.

5. Our model of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a solar and lunar eclipse is shown below:

Figure 5 Model of Sun, Earth and Moon During a Solar and Lunar Eclipse
A) The Earth (green sphere), Moon (small orange sphere) and Sun (large
orange sphere) are aligned during solar and lunar eclipses. The Moon is
between the Earth and Sun during a solar eclipse (left), and the Earth is
between the Moon and Sun during a lunar eclipse (right). B) The Moon
revolves around the Earth and each rotates around its own axis in our model
of the planets (see EarthMoonEclipse.mov), and the Earth with the Moon can
revolve around the Sun. A small weight (white arrow) provides balance for
the Moon. The planets were suspended by small hooks made from bent
paper clip pieces that were glued to the spheres and suspended by string
from wood strips. Distances of the planets relative to one another are not to
scale.
Lesson Plan: Solar & Lunar Eclipses P age |8

Accompanying Files
3DPlanets.stl STL file for 3D printing planets
EarthMoonEclipse.mov Movie showing model of Earth rotating as the Moon revolves around the Earth

Acknowledgements

We thank Prof Michael Troxel of Duke University for reviewing this lesson plan and providing comments that were used
to improve the presentation. This lesson plan was written as part of Broader Impacts of research supported by the
National Science Foundation under Grant Number CMMI 1660924 to S.A.E. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this lesson plan are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation.

Authors

Rebecca D. Hogewood
Pratt School of Engineering, Class of 2022
Duke University

Sharyn A. Endow, Ph.D.

Professor of Cell Biology
Duke University Medical Center

Copyright © 2020 by Biophysical Society. All rights reserved.