Final answer:
A total solar eclipse would occur if the Sun, Moon, and Earth were perfectly aligned, such that the Earth was between the Sun and the Moon.
Step-by-step explanation:
A total solar eclipse would occur if the Sun, Moon, and Earth were perfectly aligned, such that the Earth was between the Sun and the Moon.
In a total solar eclipse, the Moon's darkest shadow, called the umbra, intersects the Earth's surface. Anyone within the small area covered by the tip of the Moon's shadow will witness a total eclipse, where the Sun is completely blocked.
Observers outside of the small area covered by the umbra but within the larger area covered by the penumbra will witness a partial solar eclipse, where only a part of the Sun is eclipsed by the Moon.