NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has captured some spectacular images of a partial solar eclipse from its unique vantage point in space, precisely the only place where it was visible.
The Moon passed in front of the Sun yesterday around 07:20 CET. The transit lasted about 35 minutes, and at its peak, the moon covered 67 percent of our star's surface. The spacecraft then returned a series of images of the event showing 'sunfire-lit lunar mountains', being able to identify them as part of the Leibnitz and Doerfel mountain ranges.
SpaceWeather.com experts who tracked the event commented that “at the peak of the eclipse, the Moon covered 67 percent of the Sun, and the lunar mountains were illuminated by solar fire. High-resolution images like these can help the SDO science team better understand the telescope. Once calibrated, it is possible to correct the SDO data for instrumental effects and make images of the sun sharper than before."
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which was launched in 2010 , monitors the sun with a fleet of spacecraft, taking pictures of it every 0.75 seconds. It also studies the sun's magnetic field, atmosphere, sunspots, and other aspects that influence activity during the 11-year solar cycle.
Reference: NASA
