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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."

6 of 12 comments (clear)

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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.

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

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

    --
    Table-ized A.I.