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Solar Eclipse for Africa, Australia, & ISS

Posted by timothy on from the all-the-luck dept.

ke4roh writes "Sailors, Africans, and Aussies will observe a total solar eclipse on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The International Space Station will only fly through a partial eclipse area, but they'll have a fantastic view of the dark spot on the Earth below. Mir cosmonauts photographed a similar view on August 11, 1999. It looks pretty weird if you ask me. See pictures and read more in NASA's report."

12 comments

  1. FP? by lburdet · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    well SOMEONE had to comment on the story!!!

  2. well, if nobody wants this first post... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll take it, I guess.

    Seems kinda wasteful...

  3. What is that ring? by kmellis · · Score: 2

    What is the ring that appears to the lower right of the Moon's shadow in that photo taken from Mir?

    1. Re:What is that ring? by PeterClark · · Score: 2

      Looks like a cloud formation. There are several roundish clouds elsewhere in the formation. Or maybe it was something put up by Taco Bell--if the shadow had crossed it, everyone in America would have gotten a free taco! Oh, wait, that was something else with Mir. :)
      :Peter

  4. Redundant thread? by Chexsum · · Score: 0

    I might have seen one of these eclipses about 6 years ago. The sky turned from day to night quickly then back to day in about 5 *IIRC* minutes. It was creepy!

    --
    Pixels keep you awake!
    1. Re:Redundant thread? by Chexsum · · Score: 0

      Well I got to see the last part of the partial eclipse from Brisbane (AU) - the cloud cover here was very bad so blocked most of it.

      Welding goggles came in handy *wish I had them when I tried to look at a total eclipse when I was young*. =)

      http://www.csiro.au/helix/eclipse/ should have pics when it comes back online. *It wasnt even Slashdotted by Slashdotters - hehe*

      I feel safe posting links as score 0. ;)

      --
      Pixels keep you awake!
  5. Scientology can explain. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, one of two possibilities. It is either a circular cloud formation or "very good evidence of extraterrestrial life".

    See those two white dots in space, above earth? These are most likely Xenu's UFOs, preparing an attack.
    Those who claim they are meteorological balloons are just attempting to brainwash you. DON'T BE FOOLED!

  6. In Celestia??? by Bazzargh · · Score: 2

    A while back I tried to get a view like this up in Celestia - I was trying to see what the eclipse I saw looked like from space (I was in Noyon in 1999 - not my article; I didn't make it onto the train this guy describes, people were climbing in the windows! so I had to taxi it cross-country)

    Anyhoo, I couldn't get it to work, even though I can see eclipses on eg Jupiter no bother at all. Anyone know the settings that would show this one, from say, behind ISS?

    -Baz

    1. Re:In Celestia??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This eclipse is tough to see in Celestia, as it is over the dark blue Pacific for most of the run. Look for a greyish blob; it's surprisingly similar to the Mir picture. It appears over Africa at around 6:00 UT. You can easily see it over a cloud at 6:31, and the best time to get a screenshot of the shadow with the ISS is at 7:32 (This is also a time where you can see a partial eclipse from the ISS itself if you point the viewer at the sun).

  7. Wish i could go :( by DiSKiLLeR · · Score: 2

    I live in Adelaide.

    Totality will occur about 5 hours drive from here.

    I really wish i could go to see it :(

    sigh..

    D.

    --
    You can tell how powerful someone is by the magnitude of the crime they can commit and be able to get away with.
    1. Re:Wish i could go :( by isorox · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why cant you? For the '99 one, a friend and I sailed a boat half way around britain, made a nice long holiday - and thats with the actual day destined to be covered in cloud at 1000'. It's a once in a lifetime event to be that close to where you live - dont waste it, you may not get another chance.

  8. read only? by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    ISS *view* the eclipse? For $50 billion, it should be *making* them by now.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.