All the following statements are true. Which one explains the reason that there is not a solar eclipse at every new moon?
A)The orbital plane of the Moon is tilted slightly (by about 5 degrees)to the ecliptic plane.
B)The Moon goes through a complete cycle of phases about every 29 1/2 days.
C)The nodes of the moon's orbit precess with an 18- year period.
D)The Moon is only about 1/4 as large as Earth in diameter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the Moon's orbital plane is tilted slightly (by about 5 degrees) to the ecliptic plane is the reason that there is not a solar eclipse at every new moon. For a solar eclipse to occur, the Moon must be directly between the Sun and Earth, which only happens when the Moon's orbital plane intersects with the ecliptic plane at points called nodes. However, because of the tilt of the Moon's orbital plane, the nodes move slightly with each orbit, and therefore solar eclipses are not possible at every new moon.

All the Following Statements Are True