<p>If we go by our planets 5/8 of our planets have solar eclipses.</p>
<p>What is the probability of a planet having a solar eclipse based off other simulations?</p>
<p>Is there a more accurate way to calculate the probability of a solar eclipse than taking the averages of our current planets statistics?  Related: <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/231/what-is-the-formula-to-predict-lunar-and-solar-eclipses-accurately?rq=1">What is the formula to predict lunar and solar eclipses accurately?</a></p>
<pre><code>(4/79+7/62+12/27+6/6+0)/5

32.15%
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T02:01:54.790Z
Are you assuming that you have a planet that is $d$ AU from a star with radius $r$, with a moon with distance $d_m$ away from the planet and radius $r_m$?
WarpPrime
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T02:03:07.827Z
@fasterthanlight my initial answer would be yes but something may be going over my head.
William
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-22T03:13:56.913Z
looks good, *thanks!* It'll be hard to answer though, requires a model of the statistical distribution of moons about exoplanets. Different but related: [How to find Exomoons?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/11128/7982) and [What's still needed before we can observe orbits of exomoons thereby weighing exoplanets?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/39083/7982)
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-22T05:00:54.363Z
We don't know any exo- moons. Thus there is no data to check
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-22T15:51:22.833Z
I don't know. BUT... to get a solar eclipse a planet needs a moon with a size/orbital radius that will basically cover the star. Mercury and Venus don't have moons because they're too close to the sun, a moon couldn't exist in a stable orbit. So it can be figured which exoplanets CAN'T have a solar eclipse.
Greg
<solar-eclipse>
What is the probability of having a solar eclipse on a planet?
William
# What is the probability of having a solar eclipse on a planet?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-22)

If we go by our planets 5/8 of our planets have solar eclipses.
What is the probability of a planet having a solar eclipse based off other simulations?
Is there a more accurate way to calculate the probability of a solar eclipse than taking the averages of our current planets statistics?  Related: What is the formula to predict lunar and solar eclipses accurately?
(4/79+7/62+12/27+6/6+0)/5

32.15%

**Tags:** solar-eclipse

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: looks good, *thanks!* It'll be hard to answer though, requires a model of the statistical distribution of moons about exoplanets. Different but related: [How to find Exomoons?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/11128/7982) and [What's still needed before we can observe orbits of exomoons thereby weighing exoplanets?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/39083/7982)  
> **username_3**: We don't know any exo- moons. Thus there is no data to check  
> **username_4**: I don't know. BUT... to get a solar eclipse a planet needs a moon with a size/orbital radius that will basically cover the star. Mercury and Venus don't have moons because they're too close to the sun, a moon couldn't exist in a stable orbit. So it can be figured which exoplanets CAN'T have a solar eclipse.  
> **username_1**: Are you assuming that you have a planet that is $d$ AU from a star with radius $r$, with a moon with distance $d_m$ away from the planet and radius $r_m$?  
> **username_0**: @fasterthanlight my initial answer would be yes but something may be going over my head.  

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