Päikesepäikesevarjutus

Päikesepäikesevarjutus is the Estonian term for a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks ("occults") the Sun. This can only happen during the new moon phase, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. The type of solar eclipse depends on the Moon's apparent size relative to the Sun's apparent size.

There are several types of solar eclipses. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight and turning daylight into darkness. During a total solar eclipse, the Sun's corona, a faint outer atmosphere, becomes visible. A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, so it only blocks part of the Sun. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is farthest from Earth in its orbit, so its apparent size is smaller than the Sun's, leaving a visible ring of the Sun's disk around the Moon. A hybrid solar eclipse is rare and transitions between an annular and a total eclipse.

Solar eclipses are predictable events and have been observed and studied for centuries. They are spectacular astronomical phenomena, but direct observation of the Sun during an eclipse without proper eye protection can cause permanent eye damage. Special eclipse glasses or solar viewers are necessary for safe viewing of all phases except the brief period of totality in a total solar eclipse. The path of totality, where a total solar eclipse is visible, is relatively narrow.