human
Can you explain how a solar eclipse works?
assistant
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking out some or all of the sun's light from reaching the surface of the planet. This causes the moon to appear as a dark circle in the sky that moves across the sun, creating an eerie effect for viewers on Earth. During the eclipse, it is possible to see a ring of fire, called the corona, around the edge of the moon. The corona is caused by sunlight being refracted through the atmosphere of the Earth. As the moon moves further away from the sun, the corona gradually fades until the total eclipse ends.