Solar Eclipse 2024: NASA, Elon Musk Share How The Eclipse Looked From Space, Earth’s Orbit

Millions of US citizens, Canadians and Mexicans witnessed the rare total solar eclipse on Monday. The path of totality, a tiny area where the moon completely obscures the sun, spanned across several cities and sent people in the US into a frenzy.

The path of the 2024 solar eclipse passed over several densely populated areas and cities and an estimated 31.6 million people who live in the path of totality were able to watch the total solar eclipse along with an additional 150 million people who reside within 322 kilometres of the path of totality.

Meanwhile, space agency NASA live streamed on YouTube how a solar eclipse looked from space. In a video released on social media site X, NASA shared the view astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were seeing.

Total solar eclipses happen when the moon passes between the sun and earth while completely blocking the face of the sun. The path of totality spans areas where the moon’s shadow completely covers the sun and the people residing in those areas get to experience a total solar eclipse.

Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also shared footage of how the solar eclipse looked from the earth’s orbit. From space, the eclipse looks like a black dot on earth’s surface, very different from what it looks like from those witnessing it from the surface.

The billionaire who owns X, Tesla and Boring Company also threw on a pair of special sunglasses to view the solar eclipse Monday. He further added that he watched the solar eclipse sitting inside a Model S.

The astronauts aboard the ISS also saw a similar phenomenon play out. Astronauts above saw a dark, growing shadow covering parts of the US as the solar eclipse happened.