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If the moon orbited Earth on the same plane that Earth circles the sun, then we d have a total lunar eclipse at each full moon, and a total solar eclipse at each new moon. But that doesn t happen because the lunar orbit is inclined to Earth s orbit by about 5 degrees.
Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives with her family in Wisconsin.
Eleanor Imster has helped write and edit EarthSky since 1995. She was an integral part of the award-winning EarthSky radio series almost since it began until it ended in 2013. Today, as an EarthSky.org Editor, she helps present the science and nature stories and photos you enjoy. She and her husband live in Tennessee, where they enjoy guitar playing and singing. They have 2 grown sons.
In recent years, earthly observers couldn't see Saturn's southern hemisphere. It was largely hidden behind Saturn's rings. In 2021, Saturn's rings and north pole reached their maximum tilt toward Earth, and now the southern hemisphere is coming back into view . colored blue.