Why Don't Eclipses Happen Every Month?

The Moon's orbit is inclined by 5.145° to the ecliptic. Choose any date from 1990–2060 to see the Sun, Earth, Moon, nodes and apsides in their corresponding astronomical configuration.

Body sizes and orbital distances are deliberately enlarged for visibility. Positions are date-driven from a high-accuracy 1990–2060 ephemeris. Body sizes and orbital distances remain display-scaled for clarity.
Simulation time:
Moon phase:
Earth–Sun distance:
Earth true anomaly:
Moon–Earth distance:
Lunar inclination:
Moon ecliptic latitude:
Mean ascending node longitude:
Mean perigee longitude:
Moon from mean node line:
Sun from mean node line:
Geocentric Sun–Moon separation:
Optical libration (approx.):
Eclipse result:
Moon orbit
Line of nodes
Lunar perigee–apogee line
Earth perihelion–aphelion line