Ellipse vs. Eclipse — What's the Difference?

A geometric figure resembling an elongated circle with two focal points.

Results from the precise alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun.

Appears in nature and human-made structures, symbolizing balance and efficiency.

A celestial event where one body is obscured by another or its shadow.

Fundamental in optics and planetary science, illustrating light paths and orbits.

Observed from Earth, it can be partial, total, or annular.

A closed curve where the sum of the distances from any point on the curve to two focal points is constant.

Can influence animal behavior and environmental conditions temporarily.

In mathematics, an ellipse is a plane curve surrounding two focal points, such that for all points on the curve, the sum of the two distances to the focal points is a constant. As such, it generalizes a circle, which is the special type of ellipse in which the two focal points are the same.

Offers insights into the workings of the solar system and universe.

A conic section whose plane is not parallel to the axis, base, or generatrix of the intersected cone.

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three celestial objects is known as a syzygy.

The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal.

An obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination

Ellipsis.

A phase during which the distinctive markings of a bird (especially a male duck) are obscured by moulting of the breeding plumage

(geometry) A closed curve, the locus of a point such that the sum of the distances from that point to two other fixed points (called the foci of the ellipse) is constant; equivalently, the conic section that is the intersection of a cone with a plane that does not intersect the base of the cone. Category:en:Curves

(of a celestial body) obscure the light from or to (another celestial body)

(grammar) To remove from a phrase a word which is grammatically needed, but which is clearly understood without having to be stated.

The partial or complete obscuring, relative to a designated observer, of one celestial body by another.

An oval or oblong figure, bounded by a regular curve, which corresponds to an oblique projection of a circle, or an oblique section of a cone through its opposite sides. The greatest diameter of the ellipse is the major axis, and the least diameter is the minor axis. See Conic section, under Conic, and cf. Focus.

The period of time during which such an obscuration occurs.

Omission. See Ellipsis.

A temporary or permanent dimming or cutting off of light.

The elliptical orbit of a planet.

A fall into obscurity or disuse; a decline:"A composer ... often goes into eclipse after his death and never regains popularity"(Time).

A closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it;

A disgraceful or humiliating end; a downfall:Revelations of wrongdoing helped bring about the eclipse of the governor's career.

To cause an eclipse of.

To obscure; darken.

To obscure or diminish in importance, fame, or reputation.

To surpass; outshine:an outstanding performance that eclipsed the previous record.

(astronomy) An alignment of astronomical objects whereby one object comes between the observer (or notional observer) and another object, thus obscuring the latter.

Especially, an alignment whereby a planetary object (for example, the Moon) comes between the Sun and another planetary object (for example, the Earth), resulting in a shadow being cast by the middle planetary object onto the other planetary object.

(ornithology) A seasonal state of plumage in some birds, notably ducks, adopted temporarily after the breeding season and characterised by a dull and scruffy appearance.

Obscurity, decline, downfall.

(transitive) Of astronomical or atmospheric bodies, to cause an eclipse.

To overshadow; to be better or more noticeable than.

(Irish grammar) To undergo eclipsis.

An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.

The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light, brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.; obscuration; gloom; darkness.

To cause the obscuration of; to darken or hide; - said of a heavenly body; as, the moon eclipses the sun.

To obscure, darken, or extinguish the beauty, luster, honor, etc., of; to sully; to cloud; to throw into the shade by surpassing.

To suffer an eclipse.

One celestial body obscures another

Exceed in importance; outweigh;

Cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention;

Cause an eclipse of; of celestial bodies;

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body moves into the shadow of another, causing the first to become partially or fully obscured.

The orbits of planets and satellites are often elliptical, following the principles outlined by Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.

An ellipse is an oval-shaped curve that surrounds two focal points, with the sum of the distances to these points being constant for any point on the curve.

Eclipses are predicted through calculations that account for the orbits of the Earth, moon, and sun, using principles of celestial mechanics.

Yes, ellipses occur in nature, such as in planetary orbits and in the shape of some leaves and fruits.

An ellipse is defined by its major and minor axes, which determine its shape and size, and by the positions of its foci, which influence its curvature.

Eclipses don’t happen every month due to the tilt of the moon’s orbit relative to the Earth’s orbit around the sun, requiring specific alignments for an eclipse to occur.

Solar eclipses provide unique opportunities for scientific research, such as studying the sun’s corona and solar flares, and have cultural and historical significance.

Ellipses play roles in various technologies, including satellite orbits, optics (lenses), and architectural design for sound reflection.

The visibility of eclipses is limited to certain areas of the Earth, depending on the type of eclipse and its path of totality or partial visibility.

Ancient cultures understood eclipses through observation and developed sophisticated methods to predict them, often attributing them to supernatural causes.