On this page you can see a model of the Earth, our moon and the moon's orbit in realistic relations. The moon's orbit is elliptical and it shows an inclination. This is the reason why the visible size of the moon changes significantly between its closest distance to Earth (Perihelion) and its farthest point (Aphelion). On May 31, 2003 a ring-shaped solar eclipse occured because the moon was in a far away position on its orbit. It was much further away from Earth than it is in case of a total eclipse. In central Europe this event appeared as a partial solar eclipse. You can find a picture of it in my astro gallery. Back to the Astronomy Page