Five kinds of eclipses occur, as demonstrated in the following time lapse images. A partial eclipse of the sun. An annular eclipse of the sun. A total eclipse of the sun. A total eclipse of the moon and a partial eclipse of the moon. Eclipses occur due to the movement of the shadows of the moon and earth. Each shadow consists of two zones, one from which part of the sunlight is blocked and one from which all the sunlight is blocked, where the partial shadow of the moon sweeps across the earth. A partial eclipse of the sun occurs. Where the full shadow of the Moon is focused above the earth and annular eclipse of the sun occurs. Where the full shadow of the moon falls on the earth, a total eclipse of the sun occurs. Where the full shadow of the earth falls on the moon, a total eclipse of the moon occurs. Where the partial shadow of the earth falls on the moon, a partial eclipse of the moon occurs. Eclipses do not occur very often because the orbit of the moon is tilted away from the orbit of the earth and the sun. The Earth and the moon are rarely in a straight line. For example, when the Moon and sun are on opposite sides of the earth, the shadow of the earth almost.