Image: A partial solar eclipse seen from space
(PHYSorg.com Space & Earth)

Thanks to a quirk of our cosmos, the moon`s average distance from Earth is just right for it to appear as the same size in the sky as the significantly larger sun. Once in a while the moon slides directly between Earth and the sun such that it appears to cover our star completely, temporarily blocking out its light and creating a total solar eclipse for those along the narrow path cast by the moon`s shadow.