Solar Eclipse for Africa, Australia, & ISS

ke4roh writes "Sailors, Africans, and Aussies will observe a total solar eclipse on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The International Space Station will only fly through a partial eclipse area, but they'll have a fantastic view of the dark spot on the Earth below. Mir cosmonauts photographed a similar view on August 11, 1999. It looks pretty weird if you ask me. See pictures and read more in NASA's report."

What is that ring?

[kmellis]

What is the ring [nasa.gov] that appears to the lower right of the Moon's shadow in that photo taken from Mir?

Re:What is that ring?

[PeterClark]

Looks like a cloud formation. There are several roundish clouds elsewhere in the formation. Or maybe it was something put up by Taco Bell--if the shadow had crossed it, everyone in America would have gotten a free taco! Oh, wait, that was something else with Mir. :)
:Peter

In Celestia???

[Bazzargh]

A while back I tried to get a view like this up in Celestia [shatters.net] - I was trying to see what the eclipse I saw looked like from space (I was in Noyon [demon.co.uk] in 1999 - not my article; I didn't make it onto the train this guy describes, people were climbing in the windows! so I had to taxi it cross-country)

Anyhoo, I couldn't get it to work, even though I can see eclipses on eg Jupiter no bother at all. Anyone know the settings that would show this one, from say, behind ISS?

-Baz

Wish i could go :(

[DiSKiLLeR]

I live in Adelaide.

Totality will occur about 5 hours drive from here.

I really wish i could go to see it :(

sigh..

D.

Re:Wish i could go :(

[isorox]

Why cant you? For the '99 one, a friend and I sailed a boat half way around britain, made a nice long holiday - and thats with the actual day destined to be covered in cloud at 1000'. It's a once in a lifetime event to be that close to where you live - dont waste it, you may not get another chance.

read only?

[Tablizer]

ISS *view* the eclipse? For $50 billion, it should be *making* them by now.