Amateur astronomer. View of a male amateur astronomer at a solar eclipse observation site. The astronomer is silhouetted against the setting Sun. He is adjusting a special telescope designed for observing solar eclipses. The telescope is fitted with solar filters to avoid damaging his eyes. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, the shadow the moon casts will partially or totally obscure the sun on Earth. There is a minimum of at least two solar eclipses every year. Photographed in 1995 in India.