Why do lunar eclipses occur only during full moons?

An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow. That shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. read more

An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow. That shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. read more

The orbital arrangement of the sun, earth, and moon necessary for an eclipse to occur only happens during a full moon, as explained by the European Space Agency: A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and the Earth’s shadow passes over the Moon. read more