What causes a solar eclipse and how often does it happen?

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth's surface. This alignment blocks sunlight either partially or completely, depending on your location relative to the Moon's shadow. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon fully covers the Sun's disk, which is possible because, by coincidence, the Moon and Sun appear nearly the same size in our sky. Solar eclipses of some kind happen about two to five times per year globally, but total solar eclipses at any specific location on Earth are rare, occurring roughly once every 375 years on average for a given spot. Partial and annular eclipses, where the Moon doesn't completely cover the Sun, are more frequent.