Main Difference
The main difference between Shadow and Eclipse is that the Shadow is a area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object and Eclipse is a astronomical event where one body hides another.
Shadow
A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or a reverse projection of the object blocking the light.
Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three celestial objects is known as a syzygy. Apart from syzygy, the term eclipse is also used when a spacecraft reaches a position where it can observe two celestial bodies so aligned. An eclipse is the result of either an occultation (completely hidden) or a transit (partially hidden).
The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when the Moon’s shadow crosses the Earth’s surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. However, it can also refer to such events beyond the Earth–Moon system: for example, a planet moving into the shadow cast by one of its moons, a moon passing into the shadow cast by its host planet, or a moon passing into the shadow of another moon. A binary star system can also produce eclipses if the plane of the orbit of its constituent stars intersects the observer’s position.
For the special cases of solar and lunar eclipses, these only happen during an “eclipse season”, the two times of each year when the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun crosses with the plane of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. The type of solar eclipse that happens during each season (whether total, annular, hybrid, or partial) depends on apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon. If the orbit of the Earth around the Sun, and the Moon’s orbit around the Earth were both in the same plane with each other, then eclipses would happen each and every month. There would be a lunar eclipse at every full moon, and a solar eclipse at every new moon. And if both orbits were perfectly circular, then each solar eclipse would be the same type every month. It is because of the non-planar and non-circular differences that eclipses are not a common event. Lunar eclipses can be viewed from the entire nightside half of the Earth. But solar eclipses, particularly total eclipses occurring at any one particular point on the Earth’s surface, are very rare events that can be many decades apart.
Shadow (noun)
A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.
“My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set.”
“The X-ray showed a shadow on his lung.”
Shadow (noun)
Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom, obscurity.
“I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.”
Shadow (noun)
A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.
Shadow (noun)
That which looms as though a shadow.
“I don’t have a shadow of doubt in my mind that my plan will succeed. The shadow of fear of my being outed always affects how I live my life. I lived in her shadow my whole life.”
Shadow (noun)
A small degree; a shade.
“He did not give even a shadow of respect to the professor.”
Shadow (noun)
An imperfect and faint representation.
“He came back from war the shadow of a man.”
“the neopagan ritual was only a pale shadow of the ones the Greeks held thousands of years ago”
Shadow (noun)
A trainee, assigned to work with an experienced officer.
Shadow (noun)
One who secretly or furtively follows another.
“The constable was promoted to working as a shadow for the Royals.”
Shadow (noun)
A type of lettering form of word processors that makes a cubic effect.
Shadow (noun)
An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.
Shadow (noun)
A spirit; a ghost; a shade.
Shadow (noun)
An uninvited guest accompanying one who was invited.
Shadow (noun)
In Jungian psychology, an unconscious aspect of the personality.
Shadow (verb)
To block light or radio transmission.
“Looks like that cloud’s going to shadow us.”
Shadow (verb)
To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.
Shadow (verb)
To accompany a professional during the working day, so as to learn about an occupation one intends to take up.
Shadow (verb)
To make an identifier, usually a variable, inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.
Shadow (verb)
To apply the shadowing process to (the contents of ROM).
Shadow (adjective)
Unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.
“The human resources department has a shadow information technology group without headquarters knowledge.”
Shadow (adjective)
Having power or influence, but not widely known or recognized.
“The director has been giving shadow leadership to the other group’s project to ensure its success.”
“The illuminati shadow group has been pulling strings from behind the scenes.”
Shadow (adjective)
Acting in a leadership role before being formally recognized.
“The shadow cabinet cannot agree on the terms of the agreement due immediately after they are sworn in.”
“The insurgents’ shadow government is being crippled by the federal military strikes.”
Shadow (adjective)
Part of, or related to, the opposition in government.
Eclipse (noun)
An alignment of astronomical objects whereby one object comes between the observer (or notional observer) and another object, thus obscuring the latter.
Eclipse (noun)
Especially, an alignment whereby a planetary object (for example, the Moon) comes between the Sun and another planetary object (for example, the Earth), resulting in a shadow being cast by the middle planetary object onto the other planetary object.
Eclipse (noun)
A seasonal state of plumage in some birds, notably ducks, adopted temporarily after the breeding season and characterised by a dull and scruffy appearance.
Eclipse (noun)
Obscurity, decline, downfall
Eclipse (verb)
Of astronomical bodies, to cause an eclipse.
“The Moon eclipsed the Sun.”
Eclipse (verb)
To overshadow; to be better or more noticeable than.
Eclipse (verb)
To undergo eclipsis.
Eclipse (noun)
an obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination
“an eclipse of the sun”
Eclipse (noun)
a loss of significance or power in relation to another person or thing
“the election result marked the eclipse of the traditional right”
Eclipse (noun)
a phase during which the distinctive markings of a bird (especially a male duck) are obscured by moulting of the breeding plumage
“eclipse plumage”
Eclipse (verb)
(of a celestial body) obscure the light from or to (another celestial body)
“Jupiter was eclipsed by the Moon”
Eclipse (verb)
deprive (someone or something) of significance or power
“the economy has eclipsed the environment as the main issue”
Eclipse (verb)
obscure or block out (light)
“a sea of blue sky violently eclipsed by showers”