Six Stellar Photos of August’s Solar Eclipse
Six Stellar Photos of August’s Solar Eclipse lead image
jacklynsey via flickr
(Inside Science) -- This month, we feature six stunning shots from the most anticipated astronomical event of the summer. Please enjoy this slideshow as we take you across the United States to re-experience the spectacular “Great American Eclipse.”
Rick Fienberg, of the American Astronomical Society, snapped this breathtaking photo in Madras, Oregon, while on TravelQuest International’s Pacific Northwest tour. He captured the rare sight of a total solar eclipse together with two stars. On the left sits the clearly visible Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. To the right is a much fainter point: Nu Leonis, a binary star system in the same constellation. Between them, the sun’s shimmering corona extends out to both stars, framing the totality in epic clarity. (Rick Fienberg/TravelQuest International)
In Illinois, hundreds gathered at the College of DuPage to view the eclipse on August 21. The photographed crowds may look familiar to many Americans who gathered in different places across the country. Here, we see faculty members and students following safe practices , using specially designed eclipse glasses to see the eclipse in real time. (Flickr/COD Newsroom )
Over in Wyoming, Jack Lynsey snapped this photo in the little town of Bondurant. His composite showcases various phases of the eclipse, positioned in an arc over a humble barn. Lynsey’s image captures a compelling slice of American life: an unassuming dwelling framed with camping equipment and distant hills, positioned under the spectacle of a total solar eclipse. To the left we see the 360-degree sunset effect, only visible during a solar eclipse, gracing the shot with an orange glow. (Flickr/Jack Lynsey )
From Jefferson City, Missouri comes this stunning example of the diamond ring effect. Occurring mere moments after the total solar eclipse, the effect occurs when the light of the sun threatens to escape past the moon’s shielding. This light appears as a bright point reminiscent of the glittering rock on a diamond ring. (NASA/Rami Daud, Alcyon Technical Services )
NASA/Rami Daud/(NASA/Rami Daud)
While most spectators enjoyed the solar eclipse from the ground, six lucky people were able to view the event from space. Astronauts on the International Space Station witnessed this view from orbit, at an altitude of 250 miles. Here, the umbra -- the dark core of the moon’s shadow -- creates a dramatic effect over the North American continent. (NASA )
Zooming out even further, the NOAA Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft captured this awe-inspiring image of the eclipse’s effect on the globe. Look closely and you’ll see a dark shadow cast across the Pacific Northwest. (NOAA-DSCOVR/NASA-EPIC )
