What does a solar eclipse look like from space? How a retired astronaut described the experience
You could call it an "out of this world" experience. Retired NASA Astronaut Commander Terry Virts witnessed a total solar eclipse from space, describing it as an "out of this world" experience. While the sun and moon will take center stage on April 8, Virts also revealed that Venus and Jupiter will be visible during this time, along with a comet called 12P. Virts described the experience as "out-of-this-world" and compared Earth to a spaceship traveling through the solar system. He did not require eye protection as they were looking down at Earth, not up to the sun.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Christina Sanjuan in Science World
You could call it an "out of this world" experience.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Millions of Americans will look up to the sky on April 8 hoping to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse.
The once-in-a-lifetime event promises to be a spectacular dance between our sun and moon, but those aren't the only celestial bodies up in the sky at that time.
While the sun and moon take center stage for the spectacle, retired NASA Astronaut Commander Terry Virts explained the solar system has even more to offer during those few minutes of darkness.
"Once it gets completely dark, Venus and Jupiter will be out and you will be able to see them," he explained. "There’s [also] a comet called '12P.' It looks like the devil’s horns.”
You can catch it sharing the sky with the eclipse as long as you have binoculars or a telescope. Just keep in mind, you will need to have a special solar lens on the telescope or binoculars.
Virts is one of the few to witness these wonders of the solar system firsthand. He described the Earth like a spaceship going through the solar system. He would know, he spent a total of seven months in one -- even getting a cosmic perspective of an eclipse during a mission in 2015.
"We looked out; and sure enough, you could see this big black spot on earth, you know, maybe 100 miles or maybe a couple 100 miles across, it was pretty big," he said. "Moving across Earth, it was really amazing to see it put it in perspective that the earth is like this spaceship going through the solar system. And there's other planets and moons out there.”
The astronauts aboard the International Space Station were equipped with sunglasses. Virts said they did not need eye protection since they were looking down at Earth and not up to the sun like we will be in less than two weeks.
Topics: Space