The diameter of the sun is almost 400 times larger than the diameter of the moon: But when the moon crosses between earth and sun, we can see a total eclipse where the moon appears to cover the sun almost exactly. Why can this happen? This hands-on activity allows students to explore eclipses and how size and distance play a role in what we see on the earth's surface during an eclipse. Students use paper models of the moon and sun to determine the relationship between the sizes of a moon and sun, and their distance from a planet in order to cause an eclipse. Cutting paper, setting the up the viewing, and adjusting to create a perfect eclipse all result in a beautiful data set for students to admire and learn from.
