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https://theconversation.com/seeing-an-eclipse-from-earth-is-awe-inspiring-for-astronauts-seeing-one-from-space-the-scene-was-even-more-grand-281488>
"The astronauts on Artemis II’s trip to the Moon in April 2026 didn’t just have
an amazing journey through space. They also saw something extraordinary. They
were the first humans to see a total solar eclipse from space.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves in front of the Sun. In a total
eclipse, the Sun’s central disc is covered completely.
From Earth, the circle of the Sun is about the same size as the circle of the
Moon. With the bright circle blocked, you can see the undulating rays of the
Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, that are normally too dim to be observed.
I’m a cultural anthropologist who studies awe-inspiring aspects of space
exploration. I have been lucky enough to have seen two total solar eclipses.
The first one was in Nebraska in 2017, the second in Indiana in 2024.
During my second total eclipse, the period of totality – that short span when
you can remove your protective glasses and look directly at the eclipse –
lasted close to 4 minutes. I saw waves of diffuse light snaking around an
ink-black hole in the sky. It looked very wrong – almost alien.
On Aug. 12, 2026, there will be another total solar eclipse, visible only from
Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the Balearic Islands of the Mediterranean. Some
fortunate viewers in Spain and nearby islands may see the eclipse just before
sunset, low on the horizon. The Moon illusion, a phenomenon where the Moon
looks bigger when it’s near the horizon, might make this eclipse look unusually
large."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
