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.
This is an eclipse of the Sun, or a solar eclipse. There are three types of a solar eclipse: total, partial, and annular. During a total eclipse, the Moon completely covers our view of the Sun. A total eclipse is only visible from a narrow strip (about 150 km wide) of the Earth's surface at any one time.