Eerie new satellite images show the moon's gigantic shadow racing across North America during the April 8 total solar eclipse. Photos captured by astronauts on board the International Space Station also highlight the mind-boggling scale of this rare cosmic event.
Despite some adverse weather conditions and an uncharacteristically inactive sun, observers were able to capture stunning images of the eclipse from the ground. Some people were even lucky enough to catch glimpses of rare phenomena including slithers of sunlight known as"Baily's beads" and plasma eruptions from the sun, known as solar prominences. But from space, the event was arguably even more impressive.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Astronauts on board the ISS also watched the eclipse from their unique viewpoint, and a member of the Expedition 71 crew captured a striking shot of the moon's shadow from around 260 miles above Earth, NASA reported. At this point, the dark void was passing from New York state into Newfoundland, Canada.
However, astronauts were unable to take photos of the actual eclipse because the windows facing the sun, which are located in the Roscosmos section of the station, were inaccessible due to"cargo constraints," NASA representatives wrote.—Why NASA is launching 3 rockets into the solar eclipseThe moon's shadow is often referred to as the umbra, which is Latin for shadow. However, an umbra is just the darkest part at the heart of the moon's shadow.