What is the difference between a total and partial eclipse?
Quick Answer: A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun, turning day into night briefly. A partial solar eclipse occurs when only part of the Sun is covered by the Moon, so the Sun looks like it has a bite taken out of it.
During a total eclipse, the Moon’s shadow fully blocks the Sun’s bright disk for viewers in a narrow path on Earth. This causes darkness and allows you to see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere.
In a partial eclipse, the Moon only covers a portion of the Sun, so the sky dims but doesn’t go completely dark. This happens outside the path of totality and is visible over a wider region.