Said of an eclipse of the Moon, when the Moon definitely enters the Earth's shadow. If the Moon is completely immersed in the Earth's shadow a total eclipse results; otherwise, a partial eclipse. Applied to an eclipse of the Sun it does not include a partial eclipse, but only those in which the Moon's disc is fully contained within that of the Sun, either total, annular, or annular-total. v. Eclipse.
ASTROLABE ENCYCLOPEDIA
