Why do total solar eclipses not happen every month when there is a new moon
Total solar eclipses do not happen every month because the Moon's orbit around the Earth is not perfectly aligned with the Earth-Sun line.
To understand this, let's first explain the concept of a new moon. A new moon occurs when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, causing the side of the Moon that faces us to be entirely dark. During a new moon, the Moon's illuminated side is facing away from us, making it appear as a dark silhouette against the bright backdrop of the Sun.
For a total solar eclipse to occur, three conditions need to be met: First, the Moon must be in its new moon phase. Second, the Moon's orbit must be aligned with the Earth-Sun line. Third, the Moon must be close enough to the Earth to fully cover the Sun from our perspective.
Although new moons happen every month, the Moon's orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that most of the time, during a new moon, the Moon passes either above or below the Sun from our viewpoint. As a result, the Moon does not block the Sun's light, and we do not experience a total solar eclipse.
It's worth noting that during some new moons, the Moon's orbit does align with the Earth-Sun line, but the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. In such cases, a partial solar eclipse may occur instead.
In summary, total solar eclipses do not occur every month during a new moon because the Moon's orbit is tilted and not perfectly aligned with the Earth-Sun line.