Question

If there is a total eclipse of the Sun in April, can there be a lunar eclipse three months later in July? Why or why not?

Answer 1

No, that would be absolutely impossible.

Eclipses do not happen at random times. They occur only during eclipse "seasons." Each year, there are two eclipse seasons, about 25 weeks apart, or a little under six months apart. These eclipse seasons migrate through our calendar, so in some years there can be three eclipse seasons, in January, June and December.

Eclipses occur only when sun, moon and earth are aligned in some order. Outside eclipse seasons, however, the moon passes above or below the line of the earth and sun, so that its shadow cannot touch the earth and vice versa. So, if you had an eclipse in April, then three months later the moon would pass so far above or below the line of the earth and sun that one's shadow cannot touch the other.