aurinkopimennyksen

Aurinkopimennyksen is the Finnish word for a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is a celestial event that 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 a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth.

There are three main types of solar eclipses: total, partial, and annular. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking the Sun entirely for a brief period. During a total eclipse, the Sun's corona, its outer atmosphere, becomes visible. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon only obscures a part of the Sun. An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon is farther away from Earth in its orbit, making its apparent size smaller than the Sun's. In this case, the Moon does not completely cover the Sun, leaving a bright ring, or "annulus," of the Sun visible around the Moon.

The path of a total or annular solar eclipse across Earth's surface is called the path of totality or annularity, respectively. The region where the Moon only partially covers the Sun is called the path of partiality. Solar eclipses are relatively rare events for any given location on Earth. Observing solar eclipses directly without proper eye protection can cause severe and permanent eye damage. Special eclipse glasses or solar viewers are necessary to safely observe a solar eclipse.