Every time the Moon (0) PASSES between the Earth and the Sun, casting its (1) ............ on our planet, the experience for the humans who watch it is different from the last. Every solar eclipse is governed by a multitude of rhythms and (2) ............ that guarantee its individuality. The Sun's activity, its flares and prominences, the exact positions of the Moon and the Earth – all these factors conspire (3) ............ numerous others to (4) ............ that the earth eclipse is unique. Similarly, the (5) ............ of an eclipse are influenced by the time of the day, the region of the world, the weather and, to a surprising extent, the surrounding crowds or emptiness. Yet, (6) ............ this captivity for infinite variation, eclipses are governed by the enduring laws of celestial mechanics that guarantee us totalities for hundreds of millions of years to come. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, fully blocking (7) ............ our view of the Sun. This happens because of a heavenly (8) ............: the Sun and the Moon, when viewed from the Earth, appear to be the same size.