Matching Pairs Unit 1.3Online version Ancient term for sky/eclipses by Davina Faries 1 vernal equinox 2 solar day 3 summer solstice 4 lunar eclipse 5 autumnal equinox 6 lunar nodes 7 zodiac 8 sidereal day 9 solar eclipse 10 winter solstice occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth and casts a shadow over part of Earth and is possible only during the new moon phase point in the ecliptic where the sun is at it southern most point below the celestial equator, occurring on December 21st the equinox in spring, on about March 20 in the northern hemisphere can only occur at Full Moon, when the Earth is directly between the sun and the moon blocking the sunlight from reaching the moon the period of time between the instant when the sun is directly overhead to the next time it is directly overhead point on the ecliptic where the sun is at its most northernmost point above the celestial equator, occurring on June 21st the time for one complete rotation of the earth relative to the Sun, about 4 minutes shorter than a mean solar day 23 hours 56 minutes the twelve constellations on the celestial sphere through which the Sun appears to pass during the course of a year the equinox in autumn, on about September 22 in the northern hemisphere the two points that allows for eclipses to occur located at the point the moon's orbit cuts the ecliptic.