Total eclipse of the smart: an eclipse themed space quiz

Few skywatching experiences rival the awe of an eclipse. Whether it’s the moon slipping into Earth’s shadow or the sun vanishing behind the moon’s silhouette, eclipses have fascinated observers for centuries. They’re not just beautiful — they’re precise astronomical alignments that reveal the elegant mechanics of our solar system.

This quiz will guide you through the science and spectacle of eclipses, challenging what you know and maybe even surprising you.

Eclipses come in many forms: solar and lunar, total and partial, annular and penumbral. Each type depends on the geometry between the Earth, moon, and sun. Understanding these alignments helps explain why eclipses don’t happen every month and why some are only visible from specific parts of the world. This quiz will help you decode the patterns and predict the next big event in the sky.

Whether you’re planning your next eclipse-chasing road trip or want to learn more about the science of eclipses, this quiz is for you!

Try it out below and see how well you score!