The Earth’s tilt means we experience four seasons as we orbit the Sun. So, starting with winter ... and this is what causes the phases of the Moon: This diagram shows how the Moon appears ...

The average Earth-sun distance is 150 million kilometers, and the main reason for the seasons is Earth is tilted ... as shown in the correctly scaled diagram it would be impossible to see any ...

In contrast, during a total solar eclipse — which is preceded by a partial eclipse — the moon completely covers the sun, ...

Earth formed over 4.5 billion years ago from a swirling cloud of gas and dust squished together by gravity. That same cloud gave rise to our entire solar system, including our star, the sun.