I keep thinking there should always be a little bit of a solar eclipse when there's a new moon. I think my model might need a z axis. Or maybe something in my mental model just still isn't right.

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srean a day ago | parent [-]

That's right.

In these missed eclipse the moon is usually a little too high or a little too down. The moon revolves on a plane that is tilted respect the Earth's plane of revolution. These two planes of revolution intersect at the the two points called nodes.

See this picture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eclipse_vs_new_or_full_mo...

If the new moon happens to fall on the node then you will get a solar Eclipse.

	▲	jmtrevarton a day ago \| parent \| next [-]
		The model also places the moon way further from the Earth than it really is or else you wouldn't be able to see it as separate from the Earth, so that messes with creating a mental model for how the whole thing works as well.
	▲	jmtrevarton a day ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Thank you! That's actually really helpful!