Candles are a leading cause of home fires and fatalities. Soot on the walls and furnishings is unsightly, and may also be a sign of serious problems. It may also be unhealthy, as inhalation of minute particles of soot has been documented to cause health problems.
It is a popular misconception that the phenomenon of a total eclipse of the sun is a rare occurrence. Quite the contrary. Approximately once every 18 months (on average) a total solar eclipse is visible from some place on the Earthâs surface. That's two totalities for every three years.
A solar eclipse always takes place within one fortnight of any lunar eclipse. For instance, in 2017, the penumbral lunar eclipse on February 10-11 comes one fortnight before the annular solar eclipse of February 26. The partial lunar eclipse on August 7 occurs one fortnight before the total solar eclipse of August 21. Somewhat rarely, a solar eclipse can occur one fortnight before and after a lunar eclipse. This will next happen in the year 2018: July 13: Partial solar eclipse.