BriefTea 🍵 · Learn

Explained in plain English

Why are eclipses rare?

Eclipses don't happen every month because the Moon's orbit around Earth is slightly tilted compared to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means the Moon usually passes above or below the Sun from our perspective. Only when the alignment is just right do we get to see this spectacular celestial show.

Stories that explain this

UK's next full solar eclipse is 23 September 2090

This explainer came from a news story

BriefTea explains every UK news story in 80 words — and when a story assumes something you don't know, its Knowledge Galaxy maps the background so you can explore until it makes sense. Free, no ads, no paywall.

Get BriefTea on the App Store