File:Solar Eclipse of May 10th, 2013 from Space -Hinode XRT-.webm

English: Here is XRT's view of the annular eclipse that occurred between May 9th and 10th. This event was visible from Australia and various Pacific islands. Though this was an annular eclipse from the ground, the Moon just skimmed the Sun from Hinode's perspective in orbit. And since the satellite whirls around the Earth about once every 90 minutes, Hinode passed through the eclipse path a total of four times. This video shows each the three eclipses that XRT observed, looped twice. Note that the third eclipse in the video is actually the first one that we observed, but it was cut off halfway through because the Earth itself also eclipsed the Sun from the satellite's perspective! Notice how each eclipse has a different orientation. This is due to parallax, which is an effect that results from the satellite's ever-changing viewing angle. Parallax is also behind the slight curve in the Moon's motion.

(Note that the colors in this movie are reversed, so that the brightest regions appear darkest.)

Check out our original post (link below) for GIF animations of each event, a downloadable movie, and some additional information & links.

Visit us at http://xrt.cfa.harvard.edu/ and view the original post at http://xrt.cfa.harvard.edu/xpow/20130510.html

Questions and comments welcome at xrtpow "at" gmail "dot" com

Hinode is a Japanese mission developed and launched by ISAS/JAXA, with NAOJ as domestic partner and NASA and STFC (UK) as international partners. It is operated by these agencies in co-operation with ESA and the NSC (Norway).

Hinode is a Japanese mission developed and launched by ISAS/JAXA, with NAOJ as domestic partner and NASA and STFC (UK) as international partners. It is operated by these agencies in co-operation with ESA and the NSC (Norway).