A total solar eclipse will only occur when the new moon is both on the ecliptic and at its greatest distance from Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A total solar eclipse occurs when the new moon is on the ecliptic and at a point in its orbit where it can completely cover the Sun as seen from Earth, not necessarily at its greatest distance from Earth. In fact, when the moon is at its greatest distance (apogee), a solar eclipse is more likely to be an annular eclipse, not a total eclipse, because the apparent size of the moon is smaller than the Sun.

A Total Solar Eclipse Will Only Occur When the New