Images
August 5, 2008 - Solar Eclipse over the Arctic Ocean
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Have you ever wondered what the Earth might look like from space during a solar eclipse? The MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this image of a solar eclipse over the Arctic Ocean on August 1, 2008. The dark umbral shadow cast by the Moon on the Earth is visible on the left side of the image, with the lighter penumbral shadow visible on either side of it. If you were in the darker umbral shadow, you would be seeing a total solar eclipse. People watching from the lighter penumbral shadow would see a partial eclipse.
The eclipse was actually visible through out a large part of the world, including western and central Asia, Greenland, parts of northern and central Europe, and even a small portion of northeastern North America. Most of these places only got a view of a partial solar eclipse. A total eclipse was visible along a narrow 157 mile-wide path that started over the Northwest Passage of Canada, then went through northern Greenland, Siberia, western Mongolia, ending in China. Some observers and scientists (147 of them) flew over the Arctic Ocean in an airplane, following the path of the eclipse and granting themselves 175 seconds of totality.
A solar eclipse can occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, during a New Moon. When the Moon's phase is new, that means that the Sun is lined up behind it, illuminating the back side of the moon, and causing the Moon to cast a shadow. Because of the angle of the Moon's orbit, usually that shadow is cast above or below the Earth. If everything lines up just right, as the Moon moves across the Sun, the shadow is cast on the Earth. Because the moon's orbit is also elliptical, the Moon's distance from us varies slightly, changing its apparent size in the sky. If the Moon is slightly nearer to the Earth during an eclipse, it will appear larger than the Sun, and create a total solar eclipse. If the Moon is at the far part of its orbit, the eclipse would be what is known as an annular eclipse - where the rim of the Sun is visible around the Moon. If you're interested in eclipses, this website by astronomer Fred Espenak is a good reference.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 08/01/2008
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B),
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Have you ever wondered what the Earth might look like from space during a solar eclipse? The MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this image of a solar eclipse over the Arctic Ocean on August 1, 2008. The dark umbral shadow cast by the Moon on the Earth is visible on the left side of the image, with the lighter penumbral shadow visible on either side of it. If you were in the darker umbral shadow, you would be seeing a total solar eclipse. People watching from the lighter penumbral shadow would see a partial eclipse.
The eclipse was actually visible through out a large part of the world, including western and central Asia, Greenland, parts of northern and central Europe, and even a small portion of northeastern North America. Most of these places only got a view of a partial solar eclipse. A total eclipse was visible along a narrow 157 mile-wide path that started over the Northwest Passage of Canada, then went through northern Greenland, Siberia, western Mongolia, ending in China. Some observers and scientists (147 of them) flew over the Arctic Ocean in an airplane, following the path of the eclipse and granting themselves 175 seconds of totality.
A solar eclipse can occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, during a New Moon. When the Moon's phase is new, that means that the Sun is lined up behind it, illuminating the back side of the moon, and causing the Moon to cast a shadow. Because of the angle of the Moon's orbit, usually that shadow is cast above or below the Earth. If everything lines up just right, as the Moon moves across the Sun, the shadow is cast on the Earth. Because the moon's orbit is also elliptical, the Moon's distance from us varies slightly, changing its apparent size in the sky. If the Moon is slightly nearer to the Earth during an eclipse, it will appear larger than the Sun, and create a total solar eclipse. If the Moon is at the far part of its orbit, the eclipse would be what is known as an annular eclipse - where the rim of the Sun is visible around the Moon. If you're interested in eclipses, this website by astronomer Fred Espenak is a good reference.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 08/01/2008
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B),
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
