Question

Solar and lunar eclipses rarely happen during a cycle of phases because the

(1) Moon’s orbit is circular and Earth’s orbit is elliptical
(2) Moon’s orbit is elliptical and Earth’s orbit is elliptical
(3) plane of the Moon’s orbit is different from the plane of Earth’s orbit
(4) plane of the Moon’s orbit is the same as the plane of Earth’s orbit

Answer 1

2 is the answer. Hope I helped!

Answer 2

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, the sun and the moon align in space, with the Earth between the sun and the moon.

If the moon orbited in the same plane as the ecliptic, the orbital plane of the Earth, we would have a minimum of two eclipses each month.

But the orbit of the moon is tilted to Earth's orbit about five degrees.

The answer is: (3) The plane of the Moon's orbit is different from the plane of the Earth's orbit.