APOD: A First Glimpse of the Great Eclipse... (2017 Sep 01)

[APOD Robot]

A First Glimpse of the Great American Eclipse

Explanation: Making landfall in Oregon, the Moon's dark umbral shadow toured the United States on August 21. Those gathered along its coast to coast path were witness to a total eclipse of the Sun, possibly the most widely shared celestial event in history. But first, the Moon's shadow touched the northern Pacific and raced eastward toward land. This dramatic snapshot was taken while crossing the shadow path 250 miles off the Oregon coast, 45,000 feet above the cloudy northern Pacific. Though from a shorter totality, it captures the eclipse before it could be seen from the US mainland. With the eclipsed Sun not far above, beautiful colors appear along the western horizon giving way to a clear, pitch-black, stratospheric sky in the shadow of the Moon.

<< Previous APOD

This Day in APOD

Next APOD >>

[/b]

[Boomer12k]

Splendid!!!
Has anyone noticed that the three spikes of the Corona (top two and lower bottom one...), remind a person the Planetary SYMBOL for Mercury?



:---[===] *

[Chris Peterson]

Has anyone noticed that the three spikes of the Corona (top two and lower bottom one...), remind a person the Planetary SYMBOL for Mercury?

From my first visual view to all the subsequent images, something different came to my mind.

[HellCat]

Excellent picture, and who better than Babak Tafreshi to get the shot?

But how did he also take this one? The caption doesn't give its usual information about how the image was captured.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/deepskyco ... 672924221/

[neufer]

Has anyone noticed that the three spikes of the Corona (top two and lower bottom one...), remind a person the Planetary SYMBOL for Mercury?

From my first visual view to all the subsequent images, something different came to my mind.

---

<<In the NASA insignia design, the sphere represents a planet, the stars represent space, the red chevron, in the alternate shape of the constellation Andromeda, is a wing representing aeronautics (the latest design in hypersonic wings at the time the logo was developed), and then there is the orbiting spacecraft going around the wing. It is known officially as the insignia.>>

[MarkBour]

Nice matches!

[geckzilla]

Excellent picture, and who better than Babak Tafreshi to get the shot?

But how did he also take this one? The caption doesn't give its usual information about how the image was captured.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/deepskyco ... 672924221/

That's Rogelio.

[heehaw]

. It is known officially as the insignia.>>

And known by everyone else as "the meatball."

[rmt]

I have been interested in astronomy and related stuff (GR, SR, gravity, the universe, etc.) since I was a kid, when my father would teach me constellations while standing out in the yard. I even have a real good understanding of string theory. OK, no I don't, that's a lie. (Or is it?)

Have been looking at the APOD everyday for twenty years. As well as reading the brief explanations and reading many of the links provided. First thing I do in the morning.

This picture is described as being taken looking to the western horizon. I lived on the west coast more than 40 years, moved away about 25 years ago. The sun was (more or less) always in an easterly direction during the morning hours each and every day I was there. Particularly in mid August.

Am I missing something only a professional astronomer can explain? Eclipsical flip flop only observable from 45000 feet up over the Pacific ocean while above clouds? Or looking at the back of the western horizon from the point of view of an observer located far east of the photographer? Or...a...mistake? Now everything on APOD is suspect?

(Don't take this too seriously. I do know the APOD site has a sense of humor, sort of. I am not any kind of professional smarty. I haven't even stayed at a Holiday Inn, though I must have been near one on my trip to Clarksville from Tampa to watch the eclipse. Wasn't going to miss it.)

[Chris Peterson]

This picture is described as being taken looking to the western horizon. I lived on the west coast more than 40 years, moved away about 25 years ago. The sun was (more or less) always in an easterly direction during the morning hours each and every day I was there. Particularly in mid August.

Am I missing something only a professional astronomer can explain?

No. It seems likely the caption is in error. At the time and place this image was made, the Sun was approximately 37° above the eastern horizon (about 20° south of east, actually).

[romith]

Well, you might guess I pretty much knew that. Not the approximate location by degrees however. Could have pointed close to where it would have been even now, lived there a long time and was paying attention.

Only trying to inject a little humor knowing that the professional astronomer giving the brief explanation (as described by the APOD itself), while surely knowing a lot, apparently didn't know east from west other than the fact the photographer was in the west as related to North America.

Not sure my attempt worked. And if it has to be explained, it didn't.

Do love APOD though. Enjoy it everyday. APOD and Pandora are the best things the Internet has produced in my book. And I'll most likely do some more reading here. Not one person I know gives a hoot about this stuff. It is endlessly interesting to me.

[Chris Peterson]

Not sure my attempt worked. And if it has to be explained, it didn't.

It didn't (need to be explained). ;)

[romith]

Will I, at some time, get at least one attaboy for "eclipsical"? I'm not positive, but that might be new. As far as I know anyway. Other universes excluded. I don't get out as much as I probably could/need to.