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.
Over the course of the next 2 centuries, a total lunar eclipse occurs every 18.031 years (= Saros), as the Moon is displaced progressively southward through the umbral shadow with each eclipse. Halfway through this period, the Moon passes through the center of the umbra producing long total eclipses.