Hinode satellite views August 1 solar eclipse
The sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, is visible during totality -- when the sun is totally obscured by the moon's shadow. Credit: NASA TV
August 1, 2008.
Today is an eclipse day – a total solar eclipse – where the moon’s dark shadow sweeps across Earth.
EarthSky asked NASA senior astronomer Sten Odenwald of the Goddard Space Flight Center for more.
Sten Odenwald: Well, I think the important thing is that this is one of the simplest observations that you can make of the sun that shows that the sun is giving us more than just light and heat.
He’s talking about the sun’s corona – which only becomes visible to us during an eclipse – when the moon blots the sun from view. The sun’s fiery corona is visible today across parts of Canada, China, and Russia.
Taking an even closer look is a space observatory called Hinode – Japanese for “sunrise.” Hinode studies solar flares, which are a kind of storm on the sun.
Sten Odenwald: The other kind of solar storm is a coronal mass ejection. Those are giant clouds of magnetized plasma that are hurtled from the sun. And when these things arrive at Earth, they interact with Earth’s magnetic field and produce very intense currents that flow in the upper atmosphere.
And that, Odenwald said, can cause a power blackout and can also harm GPS and other satellite communications.
Sten Odenwald: That’s why satellites like Hinode are so important, because they can literally zoom in on the most active places on the surface on the sun.
Our thanks today to NASA, explore, discover, understand.
I feel that you should be sure to give instructions about the safe way to observe an eclipse of the sun. I am sure many folks who check out this site are new to astronomy and don’t know the danger of directly looking at the sun. Thanks.
Floss, good point! I added a link for safely viewing solar eclipses.
Many thanks,
Deborah
Is there any way of knowing specifically what states in the US the eclipse will be visibile?
The Aug 1st solar eclipse will not be visible to those in the US, unfortunately. But the Exploratorium science museum will be webcasting the event live from China at this link,
http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2008/ . Clear skies!
The next total eclipse visible from the continental United States won’t happen until August 21, 2017.
Hi I would like to at what time is the solar eclipse in Maryland state in US.Thanks
Hi! I live in Jerusalem, Israel. The only local eclipse information I’ve been able to find was an animated clip that showed the eclipse maybe going over my city. For a few seconds. I can’t really tell, that’s how close it appears to be.
Will I get to see it? If so, when?
I would like to know that at what time will be the solar eclipse in Massachusetts (United States)on Aug 1, 2008?
Thanks
I would like to know at what time will be the solar eclipse in Pointe Noire (Congo – Brazzaville) on Augu_st 1 2008
I am curious to know if there are any actual videos from a satellite of the shadow of the moon on the earth during the lunar eclipse? Or has anyone taken any videos of the shadow of the moon as it traverses across the earth toward the spot where the viewer stands? I have heard reports stating you can see the shadow as it comes toward you just prior to full eclipse and that it is stunning. Is this simply rumor? If either were possible, what a site that would be.
Its really useful!
Michael, try this website for a view of the moon’s shadow on the Earth from space during a total solar eclipse: http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/Main/Media/News/005559?l=en
As for the experience of seeing the shadow as it comes towards you, it is not rumor at all!
Thanks, David. Great shots! Especially the high-resolution over the Sahara. I can’t get enough of this stuff. If I knew where the next total eclipse was going to be, I would start planning now to be there, video camera in hand.