Singer Manna Dey's Life history....

Manna Dey: Indian playback singer, vocalist, musician
Real Name: Prabodh Chandra Dey
Date of Birth: May 1, 1919
Birth Place: Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Years Active: 1942- present
Father: Purna Chandra Dey (chartered accountant)
Mother: Mahamaya Dey
Uncle: Krishna Chandra Dey (singer/actor)
Wife: Sulochana Kumaran (married on December 18, 1953)
Children: 2 daughters- Suroma and Sumita


Manna Dey is renowned Indian playback singer and musician. He is one of the legendary figures in Indian music industry. He is one of the versatile singers who can sing any type of song from classical, romantic, patriotic, fast numbers to slow and soulful. The veteran singer has won many prestigious awards including Filmfare, Padmasree, Padmabhusan and even National Award as Best Playback Singer.

His real name is Prabodh Chandra Dey, who popularly known as Manna Dey. Manna Dey was born on May 1, 1919 in a Bengali family. Manna Day attracted towards music due to his uncle's influence on him. His paternal uncle Krishna Chandra Dey was a well-known singer and actor of New Theatres company. He was loved and pampered by his uncle. He took his first music lessons from uncle K. C. Dey.

Manna attended Indu Babur Pathshala, Scottish Church Collegiate School and Scottish Church College to do his schooling. He graduated from Vidyasagar College, Calcutta. After college he has two ways to choose between. Either take music or some other job for living. His father wanted him to become a Bachelor of Arts, to be a Barrister. But like other youngsters in Calcutta, he was under influence of his uncle and selected to go for music. In his initial days he was taught by uncle K. C. Dey. K.C. Dey introduced him to the nuances of thumri, qawwali, tappa, and bhajan. Later he took training from Ustad Aman Ali Khan and Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan.

Manna Dey moved to Mumbai along with uncle K. C. Dey, in 1942. Initially he worked as an assistant to K. C. Dey, then to S. D. Burman. After that he also worked as assistant to other music composer. Later he started working independently as a music director. While working as music director, he kept on learning the Hindustani classical music. He is one of the talented classical singers, while he can sing semi-classical filmy songs with ease.

In 1943, Manna Dey got his first break with the film 'Tamanna'. It was a duet song along with singer Suraiya, which was composed by K. C. Dey. The song became hit. He also gets attention with the song 'Upar Gagan Vishal' from film Mashal. Later his song from the Bengali and Marathi film Amar Bhupali proved him as a prominent singer. During early career he found problem with the Hindi language. But later he done a systematic study and get easy with the language.

Manna Dey is also known for his perfection. He is the only artiste who used to make notations before recording a song. Manna shared a great bond with music directors R. D. Burman and Shankar-Jaikishan. With R. D. Burman he gave the hit number 'Aao Twist Karein'.

Manna Dey Biography Critics agreed that Manna can sing any of Rafi, Kishore, Talat Mahmood and Mukesh's song. He is one of the versatile singers. Once the legendary singer Mohammad Rafi said that people listen to his songs, but he listen only to Manna Dey's songs. That defines the singer's greatness. But unfortunately he was used to sing for character actors and older stars except occasionally for Raj Kapoor. While the times other lead singers Rafi, Kishore and Talat Mahmood were singing for stars like Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. Many commented that his voice lacks youthfulness. But he has the ability to make any song a hit song with his melodious voice. Manna sang many songs for the comedian Mehmood including the hit 'Ek Chatoor Nar Karke Singar' from Padosan.

Manna Dey teamed up with great singers like Bhimsen Joshi and belted out a legendary song known as "Ketaki Gulab Juhi". With Kishore Kumar he sang a completely different genre of songs like "Yeh Dosti" (Sholay) and "Ek Chatur Naar" (Padosan). Both these songs were immensely liked and appreciated by one and all. Manna Dey infused the melody of classical music in the frame of pop music. In the Bengali film industry, he worked with noted musicians like the legendary Hemant Kumar. He established himself in mainstream Bengali music after his legendary duet song with Lata Mangeshkar known as "Ke Prothom Kachhe Esechi". He is counted among the legends of playback singers. It is his versatility that made him a hit with classical as well as mainstream Hindi music.

This talented singer has sung thousands of songs in many different languages and has given stage performances throughout the world. A true entertainer, he never fails to mesmerize his audience and people who attend his concerts only crave for more. He has received awards like National Singer of India, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. After having spent more than 50 years in Bombay, he now lives in Bangalore and at the age of 86, still travels all over the world and gives stage performances. Manna Dey is a living legend and continues to inspire budding talents and musicians.



Some of his HIT Songs...

* Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh
* Na Mangun Sona Chandi
* Poocho Na Kaise Rein Bitaayi
* Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli Haaye
* Tujhe Suraj Kahoon Ya Chanda
* Pyar Hua Iqraar Hua
* Tu Pyar Ka Saagar Hai
* Aaoo Twist Karen
* Aye Mere Pyare Watan
* Laga Chunari Mein Daag
* Aye Meri Zohra Jabeen
* Chunri Sambhaal Gori Udi Chali Jaaye Re
* Ek Chatur Naar Karke Singaar
* Yari Hai Iman Mera Yaar Meri Jindagi


National Awards

* 2004 - from Govt. of Kerala
* 1971 - for film Mera Naam Joker (Hindi)
* 1970 - for film Nishipadma (Bengali)

Government Awards

* 2005 - Life Time Achievement Award - Govt. of Maharastra
* 2005 - Padma Bhushan Award - Govt. of India
* 2003 - Alauddin Khan Award - Govt. of West Bengal
* 1971 - Padmasree Award - Govt. of India

Other Awards

* 2005 - D.Lit Honour Burdwan University
* 2004 - D. Lit Honour Rabindra Bharati University
* 2002 - Special Jury Swaralaya Yesudas Award for outstanding performance in music
* 2001 - Anandalok Lifetime Award Anandabazar Group
* 1999 - Kamala Devi Roy Award Kamala Devi Group
* 1991 - Sangeet Swarnachurr Award Awarded by Shree Khetra Kala Prakashika, Puri
* 1990 - Shyamal Mitra Award Mithun Fans Association
* 1993 - P.C.Chandra Award P.C.Chandra Group & others
* 1988 - Michale Sahittyo Puraskar Awarded by Renaissance Sanskritik Parishad, Dacca
* 1985 - Lata Mangeskar Award Awarded by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh

Floods displace over 18 lakh people....

Flood situation in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh continues to be grim with over 50 villages in Andhra Pradesh submerged in water following unprecedented flooding of the Krishna River in a century.

The death toll in the two states devastated by the unseasonal rains in northern Karnataka and floods downstream crossed the 200 mark.

Flood situation in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh improved Monday as water levels receded substantially, state Chief Minister K Rosaiah said.

Rosaiah said the outflow of water in Tungabhadra, Sunkesula, Narayanpur and Jurala projects came down substantially. At 5 pm on Oct 5, the outflows were 1.18 lakh cusecs in Tungabhdara, where the highest in the last five days was 1.96 lakh cusecs.

In Sunkesula, the outflow was 0.75 lakh cusecs, where the highest in five days was 9.80 lakh cusecs. In Srisailam dam, present inflow and outflow were 5.38 lakh cusecs and 10 lakh cusecs.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi undertook an aerial survey of the ravaged areas in Bellary district and Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who accompanied her, said the state suffered an unprecedented damage exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. Torrential rains left a trail of death and destruction in 15 districts of Karnataka damaging over two lakh houses in 1,467 villages subsided since.

Over 4.53 lakh people have been sheltered in 13,330 relief camps. A 500 m-long bridge across Tungabhadra river, 32 km from Raichur, was washed away in flood waters, officials said.

Some more facts:

- The Krishna river experienced the heaviest flood since 1903, when it had 10.30 lakh cusecs of flood waters.

- About 18 lakh people in nearly 400 villages of Andhra Pradesh have been affected by the floods.

- Economictimes.com reported that Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have reported damages of a staggering Rs 32,000 crore following unprecedented floods.

- Estimates indicate that over 1.5 lakh hectares of farmland in northern Karnataka are lying submerged, and close to 1.12 lakh hectares are marooned in Kurnool, Guntur, Cuddapah and Mehboobnagar districts in AP.

- Commodity prices may see a steep hike. The crops worst affected are chilli, cotton, paddy, maize, groundnut, jowar besides pulses like tur.

Floods are an every-year phenomenon for India. Government seems to take a reactionary approach rather than a pro-active disaster management.

Is govt's 'only relief effort approach' to tackle calamities good enough? Have your say

Shots from Space....

NASA scientists have unveiled the first images taken by a revamped Hubble telescope, providing even crisper pictures of distant stars and galaxies. In Photo: This 2009 handout image provided by NASA is a composite image from a number of telescopes, including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, which shows a space blob in both optical and infrared light. The blob is the yellow mass of gas. Inside it is an adolescent galaxy in white. The red spots are galaxies seen in the infrared spectrum.

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows a celestial object that looks like a delicate butterfly.
This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows Gravitational Lensing in Galaxy Cluster Abell 370.

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows the planet Jupiter.


This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows Colorful Stars Galore Inside Globular Star Cluster Omega Centauri.

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 6217.

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows a clash among members of a famous galaxy quintet revealing an assortment of stars across a wide color range, from young, blue stars to aging, red stars.

Discover Paris......

PLANNING A TRIP 2 EUROPE? And feeling overwhelmed by the number of places you would like to visit? Ask a friend or call travel advisers or simply surf the net. From the plethora of places I'm sure the most common suggestion would be France. And why not?
France has always been on top of most travel lovers 'places to visit' list. It is among the most picturesque places in the world. France's colonial past is a major contributing factor in the presence of a richly diverse multicultural population. France produces more than 250 cheeses and some of the world's best-loved wines.
A dreamy honeymoon or romantic vacation, Paris is a popular destination. Here are few details that will help you plan your trip to Paris.
Best time to visit:

Paris during springtime is the best time to visit: The place is colourful and the mood of locals is always upbeat during the spring. You may want to do your booking in advance as the air fares do reach the peak during this time of the year. Visiting Paris during winter can be romantic as it is less crowded and you can have Paris' famed cafe terrace and most of the city for yourself.

Transportation: The public transportation is very well organized and it is easy to get around the city with the Metro or bus systems or boats. The most cost effective way to do this is to get a Paris Visit pass which will give you instant access to the Metro, RER train, and bus systems in Paris.
Now that you have figured out the best mode of transportation, its time to go on a tour of the city. Here are a few places that one must visit during your stay at Paris.

Eiffel Tower: One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and likely the most recognizable landmark of the city. The tower was built by Gustave Eiffel for the World Exhibition of 1889. The tower is impressive. Hang around till sunset and get one of the most amazing view of the tower. Enjoy the sight of the glittering tower; you'll remember it for a very long time to come.

Notre Dame Cathedral: Victor Hugo's book, Hunch back of Hunchback of Notre Dame may come to your mind first. The book captures the essence of the cathedral. Notre Dame de Paris is among the first Gothic cathedrals to be built and is of the iconic examples of architecture in France. While taking a tour of the cathedral you might discover hidden rooms, cellars and discover many other fascinating secrets.

The Luxembourg Gardens: The Luxembourg Gardens is Paris’s version of London's Hyde Park and NYC's Central Park. Here you can observe the real culture of day to day life of the people. The park is divided into sections: for little children (almost an amusement park with fun rides) and the other section is quite where you get to see college students. They love to hang around and study in this area.

Hotel de Ville: The heritage building which houses Paris’s administration. The building overlooks a pedestrian square. You will also find an ice staking ring during season which is open to public. The square was once a site for public executions.

Musee du Louvre: Grand Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world. The museum houses over 300,000 works of art, from near Eastern antiquities, Egyptian antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities to 21st century painting and sculptures.

Romantic places to visit in Paris: Paris has always been a magnet for lovers. Walk into a sidewalk cafe terrace. These cafes not only make good resting spots but you can hold hands and get cosy with that special one and drown yourselves in the atmosphere of love.
Discover Paris on foot. Holding hands and walking the streets transports you to another time. The architecture is beautiful and breathtaking. The streets are lined with old trees, little bridges and stairways. Paris is spotted with beautiful parks and gardens… sit under the trees on wooden benches along a stream. Don't forget to take a boat ride upstream and downstream.

Paris at night: Whether you want to hang out with the fashion crowd or experience a grittier night, the nightlife of Paris is sure to remain etched in your memory for a long time to come. Don't forget to visit the 'Moulin Rouge.

Shop for fashion in Paris: As we all know Paris is one of the fashion capitals of the world. From street shopping to swanky fashion boutiques, sexy underwear stores to bookshops on the Left Bank and bric-a-brac at the Marche aux Puces d'Aligre... Paris is a shopper's paradise. The best time to shop is during the summer and winter sale seasons.
This little guide should help you prepare enjoy Paris to the hilt. Although, is just as good as only a scratch on the surface of the real Paris. From shopping to restaurants, museums, gardens, boulevards, architecture and music, everywhere you go in Paris there it something new to offer.

Incredible Situation.....

Mysterious lights



A huge new UFO mystery has started in England recently, after a string of sightings of bright orange lights in the night skies over East Anglia were spotted. The dazzling light shows have bewitched and intrigued eyewitnesses all over Norfolk and as far south as Ipswich, Suffolk. John Young, 43, of Sprowston, near Norwich, who was stunned when he woke up at about 3.30am and looked out of the window, grabbed his camera after spotting a strange shining light.



Like a star

“I glanced out of my bedroom window to see a bright light in the sky, much like a star except slightly larger in appearance and considerably brighter,” the Telegraph quoted Young as saying. “It didn’t move but when I played it back on my computer I was surprised to see the object was a perfect sphere with a hole in the middle. “You can even see it appears to rotate clockwise for maybe 20 seconds then anti-clockwise for the next and so forth.

Puzzled and curious


“I’m perplexed as to what I saw. Maybe there’s a simple explanation but I haven’t a clue what it was," he said. Young had spoken out after dozens of mysterious orange lights were spotted all over Norfolk, including Norwich, Dereham, Downham Market, Holkham and Caister. Andrew Goodchild, 42, a helicopter pilot, was baffled by an unidentified orange light he saw over Norwich just before 10pm on August 2.



Not a balloon

Goodchild, who has flown since 1991, said he initially thought it was a low-flying chopper but quickly realised the light was unusual. Malcolm Vicary, of Old Catton, Norwich, said he was also intrigued by the suspected UFO that night. “At first I thought it was a hot air balloon because of the orange glow. It suddenly changed direction for a short distance then resumed its original course. The orange glow then went out,” Vicary said.

Wasn't an aircraft



"It then started to descend quite fast in the direction of St Faith's, very close to Norwich airport. I'm sure it wasn't an aircraft because there were no navigation lights or sound," he added. Other witnesses to the bright light were Dennis Sayer, of Dereham and his wife. “Me and the wife spotted an orange light passing our house here in Dereham from the Windsor Park area at about 11.15 on Monday night," Sayer said.

Celebrating 62nd Independence Day......

As 15th August 2009 approaches, Indians prepare to celebrate the country’s 62nd Independence Day. 62 years ago on 15h August 1947, the tri colour was unfurled and India got independence from years of colonial rule. The country’s first Prime Minister Pandit JawaharLal Nehru delivered the historic “Tryst with destiny” speech from the ramparts of Red Fort as thousands of Indians stayed glued to their radio sets to listen to their leader and be a part of the dreams envisioned by them.

It has been a journey during which India has marched along and today as a powerhouse of potential and prospect. Several milestones were achieved in this journey. The Green Revolution under Dr. M. S. Swaminathan saw India become self sufficient in food grains while the White Revolution pioneered by Verghese Kurien saw co-operative societies help the common man reap the benefits of a planned effort to increase the productivity in milk.
In sports, India conquered the World Cup of cricket in 1983 beating the mighty West Indians at Lords while it took giant strides in space technology by launching its satellite into space Aryabhatta in 1975. On the entertainment front, Hindi Cinema churned out many talented individuals as actors and movie directors. The industry owing to this legacy which has been passed over the years has turned out to be one of the most vibrant and one of its kind. Several movies became world renowned and actors like Raj Kapoor become favorites in many countries while directors like Satyajit Ray captured reality in the celluloid.
But the journey has had its share of dark moments. Be it the Godhra Riots in Ahmedabad, the gruesome Bombay blasts of 1993, the anti Sikh riots of 1984 or the recent series of bomb blasts, each one left some scare in the minds. It is saddening to see that the sacrifice of the millions of Indians to get freedom for the future generations is being taken for granted. Weeds of corruption found its way into various streams of Indian bureaucratic as well as the society post Independence and this has taken its toll in various aspects pertaining to the country’s growth. But the nation has shown a great deal of resilience and fought back after each blow to prove its critics wrong who felt that it might succumb to these forces.
The country has moved from pillar to post which can be reflected in the growth of the GDP which broke the Hindu growth rate of 3%-4% to catapult to 7%-8%. Several Indian companies have made a mark for themselves on the global platform such as TCS, Wipro, Infosys and others alike. Mergers and Acquisitions like Tata Corus, Arcelor Mittal and others have not only been eye-catching but have established India’s presence on the global platform.
But this is just the beginning of the journey. Goes a saying that “Conquering the peak is not as important as staying there“. The present generation and the ones to follow have to keep in mind the toil, sweat and blood of countless Indians and value each moment of freedom which we all enjoy today. Everything comes at a cost, and so does this freedom that we enjoy. But to preserve it and pass it on to the future, we need to act and be responsible for our acts.
We at WittySparks have collected some memorable movies, wallpapers (a couple of interesting wallpapers and photographs) and songs which would appear in the next post as a mark of salute to the millions of Indians who gave their life so that we could live in a free India!
Happy Independence Day – INDIA – Mera Bharat Mahaan…..

Solar Eclipse --- July 22nd

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is fully or partially covered. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. At least two and up to five solar eclipses can occur each year on Earth, with between zero and two of them being total eclipses.[1] Total solar eclipses are nevertheless rare at any location because during each eclipse totality exists only along a narrow corridor in the relatively tiny area of the Moon's umbra.

A total solar eclipse is a spectacular natural phenomenon and many people travel to remote locations to observe one. The 1999 total eclipse in Europe helped to increase public awareness of the phenomenon, as illustrated by the number of journeys made specifically to witness the 2005 annular eclipse and the 2006 total eclipse. The recent solar eclipse of January 26, 2009, was an annular eclipse (see below), while the solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 was a total solar eclipse.



In ancient times, and in some cultures today, solar eclipses have been attributed to supernatural causes. Total solar eclipses can be frightening for people who are unaware of their astronomical explanation, as the Sun seems to disappear in the middle of the day and the sky darkens in a matter of minutes.

Types

Annular eclipse: There are four types of solar eclipses:



1> A total eclipse occurs when the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon. The intensely bright disk of the Sun is replaced by the dark silhouette of the Moon, and the much fainter corona is visible. During any one eclipse, totality is visible only from at most a narrow track on the surface of the Earth.


2> An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. Hence the Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.

3> A hybrid eclipse (also called annular/total eclipse) transitions between a total and annular eclipse. At some points on the surface of the Earth it is visible as a total eclipse, whereas at others it is annular. Hybrid eclipses are comparatively rare.



4> A partial eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are not exactly in line and the Moon only partially obscures the Sun. This phenomenon can usually be seen from a large part of the Earth outside of the track of an annular or total eclipse. However, some eclipses can only be seen as a partial eclipse, because the umbra never intersects the Earth's surface, passing above or below the Earth's polar regions.
The match between the apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon during a total eclipse is considered coincidental. The Sun's distance from the Earth is about 400 times the Moon's distance, and the Sun's diameter is about 400 times the Moon's diameter. Because these ratios are approximately the same, the sizes of the Sun and the Moon as seen from Earth appear to be approximately the same: about 0.5 degree of arc in angular measure.
The Moon's orbit around the Earth is an ellipse, as is the Earth's orbit around the Sun; the apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon therefore vary. The magnitude of an eclipse is the ratio of the apparent size of the Moon to the apparent size of the Sun during an eclipse. An eclipse when the Moon is near its closest distance from the Earth (i.e., near its perigee) can be a total eclipse because the Moon will appear to be large enough to cover completely the Sun's bright disk, or photosphere; a total eclipse has a magnitude greater than 1. Conversely, an eclipse when the Moon is near its farthest distance from the Earth (i.e., near its apogee) can only be an annular eclipse because the Moon will appear to be slightly smaller than the Sun; the magnitude of an annular eclipse is less than 1. Slightly more solar eclipses are annular than total because, on average, the Moon lies too far from Earth to cover the Sun completely. A hybrid eclipse occurs when the magnitude of an eclipse transitions during the event from smaller than one to larger than one—or vice versa—so the eclipse appears to be total at some locations on Earth and annular at other locations.

The Earth's orbit around the Sun is also elliptical, so the Earth's distance from the Sun varies throughout the year. This also affects the apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon, but not so much as the Moon's varying distance from the Earth. When the Earth approaches its farthest distance from the Sun (the aphelion) in July, this tends to favor a total eclipse. As the Earth approaches its closest distance from the Sun (the perihelion) in January, this tends to favor an annular eclipse.


Terminology
Central eclipse is often used as a generic term for a total, annular, or hybrid eclipse. This is, however, not completely correct: the definition of a central eclipse is an eclipse during which the central line of the umbra touches the Earth's surface. It is possible, though extremely rare, that part of the umbra intersects with Earth (thus creating an annular or total eclipse), but not its central line. This is then called a non-central total or annular eclipse. The next non-central solar eclipse will be on April 29, 2014. This will be an annular eclipse. The next non-central total solar eclipse will be on April 9, 2043.


The phases observed during a total eclipse are called:

1> First Contact - when the moons shadow first becomes visible on the solar disk. Some also name individual phases between First and Second Contact e.g. Pac-Man phase.
2> Second Contact - starting with Baily's Beads {cause by light shining through valleys on the moon's surface} and the Diamond Ring. Almost the entire disk is covered.

3> Totality - with the shadow of the moon obscuring the entire disk of the sun and only the corona visible

4> Third Contact - when the first bright light becomes visible and the shadow is moving away from the sun. Again a Diamond Ring may be observed.

Predictions
Geometry
The diagram to the right shows the alignment of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a solar eclipse. The dark gray region below the Moon is the umbra, where the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon. The small area where the umbra touches the Earth's surface is where a total eclipse can be seen. The larger light gray area is the penumbra, in which only a partial eclipse can be seen.

The Moon's orbit around the Earth is inclined at an angle of just over 5 degrees to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic). Because of this, at the time of a new moon, the Moon will usually pass above or below the Sun. A solar eclipse can occur only when the new moon occurs close to one of the points (known as nodes) where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic.

As noted above, the Moon's orbit is also elliptical. The Moon's distance from the Earth can vary by about 6% from its average value. Therefore, the Moon's apparent size varies with its distance from the Earth, and it is this effect that leads to the difference between total and annular eclipses. The distance of the Earth from the Sun also varies during the year, but this is a smaller effect. On average, the Moon appears to be slightly smaller than the Sun, so the majority (about 60%) of central eclipses are annular. It is only when the Moon is closer to the Earth than average (near its perigee) that a total eclipse occurs.

The Moon orbits the Earth in approximately 27.3 days, relative to a fixed frame of reference. This is known as the sidereal month. However, during one sidereal month, the Earth has revolved part way around the Sun, making the average time between one new moon and the next longer than the sidereal month: it is approximately 29.5 days. This is known as the synodic month, and corresponds to what is commonly called the lunar month.


The Moon crosses from south to north of the ecliptic at its ascending node, and vice versa at its descending node. However, the nodes of the Moon's orbit are gradually moving in a retrograde motion, due to the action of the Sun's gravity on the Moon's motion, and they make a complete circuit every 18.6 years. This means that the time between each passage of the Moon through the ascending node is slightly shorter than the sidereal month. This period is called the draconic month.

Finally, the Moon's perigee is moving forwards in its orbit, and makes a complete circuit in about 9 years. The time between one perigee and the next is known as the anomalistic month.

The Moon's orbit intersects with the ecliptic at the two nodes that are 180 degrees apart. Therefore, the new moon occurs close to the nodes at two periods of the year approximately six months apart, and there will always be at least one solar eclipse during these periods. Sometimes the new moon occurs close enough to a node during two consecutive months. This means that in any given year, there will always be at least two solar eclipses, and there can be as many as five. However, some are visible only as partial eclipses, because the umbra passes above Earth's north or south pole, and others are central only in remote regions of the Arctic or Antarctic.

Path
During a central eclipse, the Moon's umbra (or antumbra, in the case of an annular eclipse) moves rapidly from west to east across the Earth. The Earth is also rotating from west to east, but the umbra always moves faster than any given point on the Earth's surface, so it almost always appears to move in a roughly west-east direction across a map of the Earth (there are some rare exceptions to this which can occur during an eclipse of the midnight sun in Arctic or Antarctic regions).

The width of the track of a central eclipse varies according to the relative apparent diameters of the Sun and Moon. In the most favourable circumstances, when a total eclipse occurs very close to perigee, the track can be over 250 km wide and the duration of totality may be over 7 minutes. Outside of the central track, a partial eclipse can usually be seen over a much larger area of the Earth.