A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun's light and casting a shadow on Earth. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, turning day into temporary darkness. A total solar eclipse does not occur every new moon because the Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that during most new moons, the Moon's shadow either passes above or below Earth. For a solar eclipse to happen, the Sun, Moon, and Earth must align perfectly in a straight line, which only occurs a few times a year when the Moon's orbital plane intersects with Earth's orbital plane at specific points called nodes.