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Double Eclipse Photographed, Sun, Moon, and ISS

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the well-isn't-that-pretty dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes "The exceptionally talented astrophotographer Thierry Legault captured a picture extraordinary even for him: the space station passing in front of the Sun while the Sun was being partially eclipsed by the Moon! He traveled all the way from France to the Sultanate of Oman to take this amazing shot. I have more information about the picture itself on the Bad Astronomy blog, but you should go to Thierry's website to see more amazing pictures he's taken over the years. They're simply jaw-dropping."

115 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Eclipsed .... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Looks like the site has been eclipsed already. :(

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Eclipsed .... by TheL0ser · · Score: 3, Funny

      It always amuses me to think of servers and networking equipment melting whenever I see a slashdotting.

    2. Re:Eclipsed .... by rehabdoll · · Score: 3, Informative

      I managed to get the page loaded before.

      http://www.rinnestam.se/thierry_eclipse_iss.jpg

    3. Re:Eclipsed .... by scotty.m · · Score: 1

      That's actually a really cool shot. Had less than a second to get it too, he must have been quite the mathemagician to know where and exactly when to be.

      --
      Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
      [ST8Z6FR57ABE6A8RE9UF]
    4. Re:Eclipsed .... by b0bby · · Score: 4, Informative

      Try the Coralize plugin for Firefox; it doesn't always work, but there's often a cache. It worked in this case, and the picture is pretty amazing.

    5. Re:Eclipsed .... by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      Wait... what's that round thing in the lower left that appears to be chasing the space station? It couldn't just be a sunspot...

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    6. Re:Eclipsed .... by MarkvW · · Score: 3, Informative

      The photog only authorized PRIVATE use of the picture. Why don't you respect that and take it off your site?

    7. Re:Eclipsed .... by mangu · · Score: 2

      Looks like the site has been eclipsed already. :(

      Perhaps it was running in an Eclipse server

    8. Re:Eclipsed .... by mcgrew · · Score: 2

      There is no dark side of the moon. As a matter of fact, it's all dark!

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
    9. Re:Eclipsed .... by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      This is no moon...

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re:Eclipsed .... by N1tr0u5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      People are complaining about the nice fellow that is serving up the image when the site has been slashdotted, but no one is complaining about cache servers serving up the image. Why?

    11. Re:Eclipsed .... by N1tr0u5 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      People are complaining about the nice fellow that is serving up the image when the site has been slashdotted, but no one is complaining about cache servers serving up the image. Why? Aren't they just as guilty of unauthorized reproduction as he is?

    12. Re:Eclipsed .... by matrim99 · · Score: 1

      Heh, and I was just going to comment that the space station looked like a Tie Fighter...

      --
      Right. No, your other right. No, the other other right.
    13. Re:Eclipsed .... by e4g4 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Does the same apply to these guys?

      --
      The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. - Albert Einstein
    14. Re:Eclipsed .... by Helge9210 · · Score: 1

      That's a budong!

    15. Re:Eclipsed .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No.

      Servers aren't people and cannot be guilty of anything; the GP is a person, and thus can. That's not to say I agree with the sentiment, though; quite the opposite, I thank him for putting up a copy of the picture so people (like me) can actually see it.

    16. Re:Eclipsed .... by choongiri · · Score: 4, Informative

      Here are copies that don't contravene the photographer's usage request:

      http://astrosurf.com.nyud.net/legault/eclipse110104_solar_transit.html

      http://legault.perso.sfr.fr.nyud.net/eclipse110104_solar_transit.html

    17. Re:Eclipsed .... by KlomDark · · Score: 1

      This picture gives the 'That's no moon, it's a space station!' phrase a whole new outlook. :)

      Although in this case, it might be "That's no Space Station, that's a TIE Fighter"

      Hey ISS crewmembers - do you guys surf slashdot from orbit?

    18. Re:Eclipsed .... by rehabdoll · · Score: 2

      fine, gone

    19. Re:Eclipsed .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Had he not put a copy on his site I wouldn't have been able to see it.

      Why don't you fuck off?

    20. Re:Eclipsed .... by digitalsushi · · Score: 1

      Can't you host a separate copy for people willing to violate copyright? Then everyone's happy

      --
      slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
    21. Re:Eclipsed .... by N1tr0u5 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So as long as I automate the replication of content on the web (eg, make the server do it instead of manually doing it), it is legal? That sounds like a fallacious argument.

      I agree, I appreciate that I am able to see it via his website. I'm just confused as to why the line is drawn.

    22. Re:Eclipsed .... by RazzleFrog · · Score: 2

      Copyrights are unethical? They may have too long a life and be enforced in unethical ways but I am not sure how allowing somebody exclusive rights to their work for a limited period of time is unethical. Typically people who think that way have never created anything worth worrying about.

    23. Re:Eclipsed .... by Caerdwyn · · Score: 1

      [sarchasm]

      I'll be the one to decide what's unethical around here, thank you very much.

      [/sarchasm]

      --
      Everybody gets what the majority deserves.
    24. Re:Eclipsed .... by icebike · · Score: 1

      Not necessary. Follow the Link to Bad Astronomy blog, where they sought and got permission. Its not that hard to be polite to authors.

      --
      Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
    25. Re:Eclipsed .... by kehren77 · · Score: 1

      Clearly the TIE fighter in the upper left is headed for that small moon in the lower right.

    26. Re:Eclipsed .... by snookerdoodle · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The photog only authorized PRIVATE use of the picture. Why don't you respect that and take it off your site?

      Gee, thanks for getting him to take down a mirror of a slashdotted image. I actually wanted to see the thing.

      Moron.

    27. Re:Eclipsed .... by LearnToSpell · · Score: 1

      It's actually the Canadian flag. We came in peace for all mankind.

      --
      Haida Manga
    28. Re:Eclipsed .... by PIBM · · Score: 1

      They are dead too. At least the images can't make it.

    29. Re:Eclipsed .... by MiniMike · · Score: 1

      His next shot will be the ISS transiting his web server, which due to this slashdotting has been catapulted into space and is glowing as bright as the Sun...

    30. Re:Eclipsed .... by jthill · · Score: 2

      I think private was meant as "non-commercial", not "don't cache". Hard to imagine he'd serve it with a no-cache tag.

      --
      As always, all IMO. Insert "I think" everywhere grammatically possible.
    31. Re:Eclipsed .... by ArundelCastle · · Score: 4, Informative

      Thierry's notice says "use". "Distribution" is neither literally or legally considered synonymous with use (in north america). And yes I am a photographer, I'm sure Thierry knows the difference too. He's famous enough to know that these things spread.
      The only thing the parent did improper is rename the image from eclipse110104_solar_transit_33.jpg to thierry_eclipse_iss.jpg, which disrupts Thierry's ability to track its propagation, even though it is nice enough to include his name as an inherent keyword.

      For the server argument, astrosurf.com/robots.txt doesn't disallow bots from crawling images. Many commercial photographer sites do.
      A bot can indeed be guilty of ignoring those rules, but that just means it was programmed without concern for rules.

    32. Re:Eclipsed .... by missing000 · · Score: 1

      Thanks, wish I had points to mod this up!

    33. Re:Eclipsed .... by pavon · · Score: 1

      How the heck is rinnestam's mirror of the image any less legitimate than NYUD's mirror?

    34. Re:Eclipsed .... by choongiri · · Score: 2

      The difference is fairly obvious. The coral cache mirrors the whole page, including context, credit, the usage conditions and links to the photographer's other work.

    35. Re:Eclipsed .... by geekoid · · Score: 1

      yeah, but I don't care. I used to care, but not any more.

      Let me know when someone doesn't buy something with his picture because it's also on the internet.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    36. Re:Eclipsed .... by cstacy · · Score: 1

      It always amuses me to think of servers and networking equipment melting whenever I see a slashdotting.

      I found out about it from Facebook.

      (And since it was an astronomer who posted it there, I bet they didn't originally find it on Slashdot, either.)

      I wonder if some sites are being Facebooked ("facepalmed"?) rather than Slashdotted these days.

    37. Re:Eclipsed .... by Jesus_666 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You could make the point that copyrights as practiced today are unethical. Effectively-endless copyrights mean that society never gets to freely use any literary or artistic work even though many of these copyrighted works freely use earlier, unprotected works. They also stack the market in favor of big corporations who can afford to license anything they want to use (and swallow any lawsuits from rights owners who don't want to give them a license). Even if copyrights are never extended again, durations close to a century are effectively eternal in some sectors like IT.

      Copyrights aren't bad per se but the current implementation is most likely suboptimal for society and can be argued to be unethical on those grounds.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    38. Re:Eclipsed .... by TheL0ser · · Score: 1

      I imagine it would be slightly different, as facebook takes time to propagate through the users, but on the other hand slashdot is just one big DDOS every time a story goes up.

    39. Re:Eclipsed .... by sFurbo · · Score: 1

      Copyright is a limitation to the right to freedom of speech, if you see any such limitations to basic rights as unethical, copyright is unethical. Personally, I don't, but it is a logically consistent position.

    40. Re:Eclipsed .... by RazzleFrog · · Score: 1

      There is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech anyway.

    41. Re:Eclipsed .... by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      As you are not using it in a commercial setting, there is nothing wrong with using the picture. If you are selling access, selling newspapers, or other items like this, you should request permission from the author. I highly doubt that the person who put up the photo would have any problem with you mirroring it as long as attribution is used. Putting the picture up on your personal site is not commercial use of the photo unless you make money off of it.

      IANAL, and even if I was, IANYL. Best thing would be to email the author of the picture and explain the situation and ask permission.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  2. TIE fighter by SoupGuru · · Score: 1

    Is the Empire here to crush us?! Save us, Luke!

    --
    What doesn't kill you only delays the inevitable
    1. Re:TIE fighter by flaming+error · · Score: 1

      TIE fighters are a short-range ship, and that's no moon.

    2. Re:TIE fighter by ThatMegathronDude · · Score: 1

      Save us, Obi-wan?

    3. Re:TIE fighter by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      that's no moon

      Um, not only is it A moon, it's THE moon. And the sun. And the ISS.

      Cool picture.

      --
      Free Martian Whores!
    4. Re:TIE fighter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Heh. Thought the same thing.

      http://ompldr.org/vNnVoOQ/tie-fighter-invasion.jpg

      (Here's to hoping he'd think this is funny, not want to sue me.)

    5. Re:TIE fighter by deathlyslow · · Score: 1

      Am I the only one that had the image of Cartman pop into my head. I think it was the first episode.

      --
      Don't blame me for redundant posts. I can't type very fast. Hence the user ID.
    6. Re:TIE fighter by geekoid · · Score: 1

      haha, if submitting to the Empire is what we need to do to gain access to light sabers, then fuck it. Sign me up.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  3. That's no moon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ...it's a space station.

    So apropos for once.

    1. Re:That's no moon by ArcherB · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...it's a space station.

      So apropos for once.

      Actually it is a moon AND a space station.

      --
      There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
    2. Re:That's no moon by jamrock · · Score: 1

      ...it's a space station.

      So apropos for once.

      Actually it is a moon AND a space station.

      Actually it's THE Moon and THE Space Station.

    3. Re:That's no moon by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Actually it is a moon AND a space station.

      Well I was thinking that it's certainly a long way out for a lone TIE Fighter, then I realised...

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    4. Re:That's no moon by anyGould · · Score: 1

      Actually it's THE Moon and THE Space Station.

      No, it's "a" - there are multiple Moons (we're actually fairly poor in the moon lottery), and there have been past Space Stations.

    5. Re:That's no moon by codename.matrix · · Score: 1

      ...it's a space station.

      So apropos for once.

      Actually it is a moon AND a space station.

      Actually it's THE Moon and THE Space Station.

      We definitely need more space stations!

    6. Re:That's no moon by jamrock · · Score: 1

      I'm well aware that there are multiple moons, but there's only one named "the Moon" (I did capitalize).

    7. Re:That's no moon by Announcer · · Score: 1

      Taking it literally... the moon is a satellite of the Earth. So is the space station. If they are both satellites, could one not also stretch the analogy beyond normal limits, and say that they are, in fact, both "moons"? ;)

      --
      Willie...
  4. Amazing! by mvar · · Score: 1

    It would be interesting to know about the equipment he used and the settings on his camera

    1. Re:Amazing! by bryansj · · Score: 5, Informative

      From the link: Image of the solar transit of the International Space Station (ISS), taken from the area of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman on January 4th 2011 at 9:09 UT, during the partial solar eclipse. Takahashi FSQ-106ED refractor on EM-10 mount, Canon 5D mark II. 1/5000s exposure at 100 iso. Transit forecast calculated by www.calsky.com (many thanks to Arnold Barmettler for his help). Transit duration: 0.86s. ISS distance to observer: 510 km. Speed in orbit: 7.8km/s (28000 km/h or 17000 mph). The image shows three planes in space: the Sun at 150 million km, the Moon at about 400000 km and the ISS at 500 km.

    2. Re:Amazing! by bcong · · Score: 1

      Forgive me, but does the "Transit duration" mean he had less than a second to take this picture before all three were not in view? Or is that something different. I would love to know how long he had where such an image could be captured.

    3. Re:Amazing! by JonahsDad · · Score: 2

      Yes. Transit duration means that the ISS was passing in front of the sun for 0.86s.

    4. Re:Amazing! by heypete · · Score: 1

      That is precisely what it means.

      Most impressive.

    5. Re:Amazing! by Malc · · Score: 1

      Great... but what lens and filter(s) was he using?

    6. Re:Amazing! by sznupi · · Score: 1

      Surely impressive as a whole, but time synchronization shouldn't be much of a problem with NTP / precise watches / burst mode in such good DSLR. (4fps continuous shooting)

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
    7. Re:Amazing! by sznupi · · Score: 1

      His DSLR can do 4fps continuous shooting, he didn't need to be very precise (manually synchronized, earlier in the day, quartz watch - while looking at NTP info - would be enough; or mobile phone synchronized earlier in the day, while in range of cell tower)

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
    8. Re:Amazing! by bryansj · · Score: 1

      There was no "lens". The Canon 5D was attached to the Takahashi FSQ-106ED using the appropriate mount to replace the eyepiece. No idea what exact filter was used.

  5. Eclipse Kills Birds by teknopurge · · Score: 1

    I think the correlation explains itself.

    --
    Website Hosting
  6. Dumbasses by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

    They need to land at night if they're not going to burn up.

  7. Photoshopped by michelcolman · · Score: 4, Funny

    The shadows are all wrong.

    1. Re:Photoshopped by scotty.m · · Score: 2

      This looks shopped
      This, not so much

      --
      Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
      [ST8Z6FR57ABE6A8RE9UF]
    2. Re:Photoshopped by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      The funny thing is you could do that in Photoshop without much problem. Not that he did - it's an incredible picture and he went to extraordinary efforts to get it but -

      I would have Photoshopped the damned thing. The idea of taking a 10 inch reflector with assorted support gear on a bunch of airplanes to the middle of nowhere gives me a headache just thinking about it.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    3. Re:Photoshopped by nullifi · · Score: 1

      I dunno... the waterline is spot-on. I'm thinking it was just a color calibration issue. And as for the man, you're not seeing it from the proper depth. That's a photo hanging from a string, it's directly in front of the camera. Nice try though.

  8. OMG it's a double ecplise all the way! by RevWaldo · · Score: 4, Funny

    What does this mean!?

    .

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
    1. Re:OMG it's a double ecplise all the way! by skelly33 · · Score: 1

      BEHOLD. The Great Conjunction is at hand!

    2. Re:OMG it's a double ecplise all the way! by dkleinsc · · Score: 3, Funny

      No, that's actually a misprint. It's actually The Great Conjugation, an event in which all possible verb forms in all known languages are spelled out and used correctly in a sentence.

      --
      I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    3. Re:OMG it's a double ecplise all the way! by MartinSchou · · Score: 1

      Well, it's really a triple Eclipse, because the crew was watching Edward trying to look smug.

    4. Re:OMG it's a double ecplise all the way! by underqualified · · Score: 1

      Hungrybear9562, is that you?

  9. Whoa. by GodricL · · Score: 1

    That's a full Eclipse all the way. Double Eclipse oh my god.

  10. What is that spot? by Koil · · Score: 1

    I think he got some hummus on his lens.

  11. An Orange? by trevc · · Score: 1

    Looks like photoshop'd fruit to me

  12. Re:Go Canada! by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Let's all give Canada a hand for giving the ISS a hand!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  13. Re:Go Canada! by Locke2005 · · Score: 1, Informative

    When you've got a job to do that involves a hand, you naturally think of Canada -- the leading experts in hand jobs!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  14. Coral Cache Link by philj · · Score: 1

    http://astrosurf.com.nyud.net/legault/eclipse110104_solar_transit_25.jpg

    1. Re:Coral Cache Link by xded · · Score: 1

      This one works better for me.

      http://astrosurf.com.nyud.net:8080/legault/eclipse110104_solar_transit.html

  15. Is it me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Or does pac man look sick?

  16. Eclipse by Locke2005 · · Score: 1, Redundant

    All that you touch
    All that you see
    All that you taste
    All you feel
    All that you love
    All that you hate
    All you distrust
    All you save
    All that you give
    All that you deal
    All that you buy
    Beg, borrow or steal
    All you create
    All you destroy
    All that you do
    All that you say
    All that you eat
    Everyone you meet
    All that you slight
    Everyone you fight
    All that is now
    All that is gone
    All that's to come
    And everything under the sun is in tune
    But the sun is eclipsed by the moon

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  17. Alan Shepard whacking golf balls by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Informative

    Some folks from the former East Germany sometimes ask me if the Apollo Moon landings were faked. Some admitted that they were taught so in school. Wrong shadows, flapping flag, etc.

    I reply that I got up at 04:00 EST when Apollo 14 was on the Moon, and Alan Shepard knocked around some golf balls. Walter Cronkite looked liked he was grabbed out of the grave, and did not seemed amused that CBS dragged him out of bed to report on the Moon walk.

    Golf balls on the Moon? Not even the wackiest Hollywood director could think that thing up.

    Of course, the definitive evidence for the Moon landings is a mirror they left behind, which is used to shoot lasers at to determine the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

    Of course, one could argue that a Moon chick dropped her compact powder kit . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    1. Re:Alan Shepard whacking golf balls by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Technically speaking, the mirror could have been left by an unmanned probe. Of course, all the rest of the evidence points so overwhelmingly towards the Moon landing being fact and not fantasy. (The Mythbusters did an expert job at busting the various "proofs" that conspiracy theorists give.) I'd say that the biggest knock against the conspiracy is that it would have required thousands of scientists, politicians, engineers and various government officials to keep the secret for over 40 years now. Plus the others that would have been involved in the subsequent Moon landings. (We did go more than once.) When have you known that many people to keep a secret that big for that long a time?

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    2. Re:Alan Shepard whacking golf balls by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      Not that many people...

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    3. Re:Alan Shepard whacking golf balls by Genda · · Score: 1

      The conversation has been decisively determine ever since NASA launched the LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.) There are now super clear images of the lunar surface including the Lunar Landing Modules, human foot prints, rovers and rover tracks, and other equipment left behind. The entire history of human presence on the moon is clearly visible for anyone willing to look at the photographs of the lunar surface. Just as the flat earthers, at some point when the evidence becomes overwhelming, you just have to shake your head and say, "So sad, too bad."

    4. Re:Alan Shepard whacking golf balls by MartinSchou · · Score: 1

      Of course, the definitive evidence for the Moon landings isThe fact that the USSR conceded the fact that the US had landed on the Moon and made no attempt to claim otherwise.

  18. I'm not one to cry wolf.. by angiasaa · · Score: 1

    But if that's not a TiE fighter, I can't imagine what else it could be! The empire will be unloading storm troopers soon. Is no one else worried? Arrgh! Open your arms wide if you like, and go "Greetings! We're Earthlings.. Command us!" I for one am planning to escape.

    On another note, can someone mirror this? They seem to be having trouble holding their servers up. It's high time server admin manuals contained a chapter on how to survive being slashdotted.

    --
    Geekism is your _only_ God!
  19. Are you sure? by SnarfQuest · · Score: 1

    Are you sure this isn't just a picture of his butt after he sat on one of his Star Wars action figures? (Don't call them DOLLS)

    --
    Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
  20. You, me, and , by unity100 · · Score: 1

    hot jupiters ? spinning saturns ?

    the title of the article seems more fit for a romance novel than a tech article. not bad for a change.

    --
    Read radical news here
  21. Holy coincidence Batman! by jamrock · · Score: 1

    Amazingly appropriate, considering that the very next Slashdot story is about Pink Floyd.

    [For all you mystified young 'uns, Locke2005 posted the complete lyrics for Eclipse from Dark Side of the Moon.]

  22. Re:Go Canada! by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

    From this page:
    "The SPDM, or Canada Hand, is a smaller two-armed robot capable of handling the delicate assembly tasks currently handled by astronauts during spacewalks."

    No, I'm not making this shit up!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  23. so beautiful by fringd · · Score: 1

    it's almost like a triple eclipse

  24. Re:photo of IIS transiting the sun is not unique by Abstrackt · · Score: 2

    I'm pretty sure the eclipse is the unique part of this picture.

    --
    They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
  25. Re:Link to the picture by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

    Goatse avoid at all costs.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  26. the only thing more awesome than that pic by v1 · · Score: 2

    would be a video showing the ISS zip across the sun. (slowed down please! since the transit was less than one second) Good lord that man has good timing... (but I suspect he actually took a video of it and we're seeing a still - I mean who in their right mind would chance that with a single shudder click??)

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  27. Re:It's a double, complete eclipse! by pspahn · · Score: 1

    complete double redundancy? (as below)

    I'm impressed.

    --
    Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
  28. More worried about the other flying object by obender · · Score: 1
    From the blog:

    one spot isn’t a spot at all, it’s the International Space Station!

    The dimensions for ISS are 357 feet by 167 feet. A simple search for spy satellite yields this:

    "The satellite likely consists of sensitive radio receivers and an antenna generally believed to span up to 328 feet to gather electronic intelligence for the National Security Agency," Molczan told Spaceflight Now.

    How can we tell a sun spot is a sun spot?

  29. Hello... by iceaxe · · Score: 1

    ..to my new desktop background.

    --
    WALSTIB!
  30. A transit is not an eclipse by 517714 · · Score: 2

    Thierry Legault knows this. The writer of the summary seems to be more interested in a sensationalist headline line than in accuracy.

    --
    The US government have made it clear that we have no inalienable rights; any we do not defend vigorously will be taken.
    1. Re:A transit is not an eclipse by wvmarle · · Score: 1

      Mmm... so the moon just transiting in front of the sun is not an eclipse either?

  31. found via spaceweather.com by cathector · · Score: 1

    http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/eclipse110104_solar_transit_33.jpg

  32. I'm glad I came back by xaxa · · Score: 2

    I stopped reading Slashdot in disgust at the article + comments last week.

    Today I've come back. This is the kind of article I want to see! The comments are still 95% shit though.

    Did anyone in London see the eclipse? Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of it until too late -- had I been, I'd have got up extra-early and taken a train out of London if necessary.

    1. Re:I'm glad I came back by Malc · · Score: 1

      The Beeb had a reporter up in Sunderland yesterday morning... dunno if that's because of the weather, or it that was the best place in the UK to observe it. I seem to recall that it was overcast yesterday morning in London anyway.

    2. Re:I'm glad I came back by xaxa · · Score: 1

      A friend told me there was nothing to see in London yesterday, so I didn't miss much.

      Further north was better, I think the Shetlands would have been best, except for the increased chance of cloud. Northern Sweden was the best place (most coverage of the Sun by the Moon).

  33. Space station? by geekoid · · Score: 1

    "No, it's a short-range fighter."

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  34. Re:Not from video by wvmarle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There isn't any difference between "video" and "lots of stills taken in short succession".

    It's known exactly when the ISS is passing the Sun, so for making such a shot I'd start a short time before that moment and end shortly after, taking a shot every 0.2 seconds (or however fast your camera can manage - this are pretty high resolution images), and you have a couple dozen shots at least one of which should include the moment.

  35. Picture of the Day by deischi · · Score: 1

    The picture is now Astronomy Picture of the Day

  36. Re:Link to the picture by clone53421 · · Score: 1

    I stopped after previewing the tinyurl (persistent cookie) revealed that it was an ow.ly link. The only reason anyone would need to double-hide the URL is to keep people from knowing what they’re about to visit.

    Now, if I knew how to preview an ow.ly link, curiosity probably would have led me to at least see what it led to, but I don’t. So... meh. I tried using telnet to get the response but it seems to be blocked at the firewall somewhere.

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  37. Thus spoke... by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

    Cue the Strauss.

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  38. You jest, but... by chrb · · Score: 1

    You jest, but check out The top-rated comments in this article. I know, I know, Daily Mail readers and science do not go well together, but seriously - the zoom in on the ISS proves that the photo is fake? The sun spots are birds? I despair, I really do...