Worksheet to sort facts about total lunar and total solar eclipses.
Educational worksheet comparing total lunar and total solar eclipses with descriptions and diagrams.
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Step-by-step solution for: Solar and Lunar Eclipse Cards (Year 5) | CGP Plus
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Solar and Lunar Eclipse Cards (Year 5) | CGP Plus
To solve this, we need to sort each statement into one of two categories: Total Lunar Eclipse or Total Solar Eclipse.
Let’s go through each card one by one and decide which eclipse it describes.
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1. “Takes place at night.”
→ A lunar eclipse happens when Earth is between the Sun and Moon — so you see it at night.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
2. “Can damage your eyesight.”
→ Looking directly at a solar eclipse (even partial) can hurt your eyes. Lunar eclipses are safe to watch.
✔ Solar Eclipse
3. “The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.”
→ That’s what happens in a solar eclipse — Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth.
✔ Solar Eclipse
4. “The Earth casts a shadow.”
→ In a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
5. “The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.”
→ During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon turns reddish (“blood moon”) because of Earth’s atmosphere bending sunlight.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
6. “Takes place when there is a Full Moon.”
→ Lunar eclipses only happen during a full moon. Solar eclipses happen during a new moon.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
7. “Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.”
→ If it’s nighttime where you are, you can see a lunar eclipse if it’s happening. Solar eclipses are visible only in a small path.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
8. “Takes place during the day time.”
→ Solar eclipses happen during the day — that’s when the Sun is up!
✔ Solar Eclipse
9. “Can be viewed without specialist equipment.”
→ You can safely look at a lunar eclipse with just your eyes. For solar eclipses, you need special filters.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
10. “Occurs every year and a half.”
→ Total solar eclipses happen somewhere on Earth about every 18 months (year and a half). Lunar eclipses are more frequent but not always total. This phrase usually refers to solar eclipses in educational contexts.
✔ Solar Eclipse
11. Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth
→ The Moon is between Sun and Earth → that’s a solar eclipse.
✔ Solar Eclipse
12. Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon
→ Earth is between Sun and Moon → that’s a lunar eclipse.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
13. “The Sun gets darker.”
→ During a solar eclipse, the Sun is blocked — so it looks darker.
✔ Solar Eclipse
14. “Happens every two to three years.”
→ Total *lunar* eclipses visible from any one location happen roughly every 2–3 years. Solar eclipses are more frequent globally, but for a specific spot, lunar ones are rarer locally? Wait — actually, let’s double-check:
Actually, total solar eclipses at any given location are very rare — maybe once every 300–400 years. But globally, they occur about every 18 months.
Total lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on the night side of Earth, and they occur about 2–4 times per year globally — but for a single location, you might see one every 2–3 years.
In school materials, “happens every two to three years” often refers to how often a person in one place sees a total *lunar* eclipse.
But wait — looking back at card #10: “Occurs every year and a half” — that’s typically used for solar eclipses (globally).
So card #14: “Happens every two to three years” — likely refers to how often a *location* experiences a total *lunar* eclipse.
✔ So this goes to Lunar Eclipse
Wait — let me verify standard curriculum info:
- Total solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth about every 18 months → matches card #10.
- Total lunar eclipses are visible from a given location about every 2–3 years → matches card #14.
Yes, that makes sense.
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Now let’s group them clearly.
- Takes place at night.
- The Earth casts a shadow.
- The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.
- Takes place when there is a Full Moon.
- Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.
- Can be viewed without specialist equipment.
- Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon
- Happens every two to three years.
- Can damage your eyesight.
- The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.
- Takes place during the day time.
- Occurs every year and a half.
- Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth
- The Sun gets darker.
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Final Answer:
Total Lunar Eclipse:
- Takes place at night.
- The Earth casts a shadow.
- The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.
- Takes place when there is a Full Moon.
- Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.
- Can be viewed without specialist equipment.
- [Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon]
- Happens every two to three years.
Total Solar Eclipse:
- Can damage your eyesight.
- The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.
- Takes place during the day time.
- Occurs every year and a half.
- [Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth]
- The Sun gets darker.
Let’s go through each card one by one and decide which eclipse it describes.
---
1. “Takes place at night.”
→ A lunar eclipse happens when Earth is between the Sun and Moon — so you see it at night.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
2. “Can damage your eyesight.”
→ Looking directly at a solar eclipse (even partial) can hurt your eyes. Lunar eclipses are safe to watch.
✔ Solar Eclipse
3. “The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.”
→ That’s what happens in a solar eclipse — Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth.
✔ Solar Eclipse
4. “The Earth casts a shadow.”
→ In a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
5. “The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.”
→ During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon turns reddish (“blood moon”) because of Earth’s atmosphere bending sunlight.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
6. “Takes place when there is a Full Moon.”
→ Lunar eclipses only happen during a full moon. Solar eclipses happen during a new moon.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
7. “Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.”
→ If it’s nighttime where you are, you can see a lunar eclipse if it’s happening. Solar eclipses are visible only in a small path.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
8. “Takes place during the day time.”
→ Solar eclipses happen during the day — that’s when the Sun is up!
✔ Solar Eclipse
9. “Can be viewed without specialist equipment.”
→ You can safely look at a lunar eclipse with just your eyes. For solar eclipses, you need special filters.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
10. “Occurs every year and a half.”
→ Total solar eclipses happen somewhere on Earth about every 18 months (year and a half). Lunar eclipses are more frequent but not always total. This phrase usually refers to solar eclipses in educational contexts.
✔ Solar Eclipse
11. Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth
→ The Moon is between Sun and Earth → that’s a solar eclipse.
✔ Solar Eclipse
12. Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon
→ Earth is between Sun and Moon → that’s a lunar eclipse.
✔ Lunar Eclipse
13. “The Sun gets darker.”
→ During a solar eclipse, the Sun is blocked — so it looks darker.
✔ Solar Eclipse
14. “Happens every two to three years.”
→ Total *lunar* eclipses visible from any one location happen roughly every 2–3 years. Solar eclipses are more frequent globally, but for a specific spot, lunar ones are rarer locally? Wait — actually, let’s double-check:
Actually, total solar eclipses at any given location are very rare — maybe once every 300–400 years. But globally, they occur about every 18 months.
Total lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on the night side of Earth, and they occur about 2–4 times per year globally — but for a single location, you might see one every 2–3 years.
In school materials, “happens every two to three years” often refers to how often a person in one place sees a total *lunar* eclipse.
But wait — looking back at card #10: “Occurs every year and a half” — that’s typically used for solar eclipses (globally).
So card #14: “Happens every two to three years” — likely refers to how often a *location* experiences a total *lunar* eclipse.
✔ So this goes to Lunar Eclipse
Wait — let me verify standard curriculum info:
- Total solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth about every 18 months → matches card #10.
- Total lunar eclipses are visible from a given location about every 2–3 years → matches card #14.
Yes, that makes sense.
---
Now let’s group them clearly.
✔ Total Lunar Eclipse Cards:
- Takes place at night.
- The Earth casts a shadow.
- The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.
- Takes place when there is a Full Moon.
- Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.
- Can be viewed without specialist equipment.
- Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon
- Happens every two to three years.
✔ Total Solar Eclipse Cards:
- Can damage your eyesight.
- The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.
- Takes place during the day time.
- Occurs every year and a half.
- Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth
- The Sun gets darker.
---
Final Answer:
Total Lunar Eclipse:
- Takes place at night.
- The Earth casts a shadow.
- The Moon appears darker and can go a red colour.
- Takes place when there is a Full Moon.
- Can be seen by everyone on the side of the Earth that is in darkness when it occurs.
- Can be viewed without specialist equipment.
- [Diagram: Sun → Earth → Moon]
- Happens every two to three years.
Total Solar Eclipse:
- Can damage your eyesight.
- The Moon casts a shadow on Earth.
- Takes place during the day time.
- Occurs every year and a half.
- [Diagram: Sun → Moon → Earth]
- The Sun gets darker.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of solar and lunar eclipse worksheet.
