Solar eclipses seen from satellites

Solar eclipses seen from the satellite HINODE

Solar eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon and the observer are perfectly aligned.
Our satellites also observe solar eclipses.
The Hinode satellite is dedicated to observing the Sun. This satellite is a collaboration between the space agencies of Japan, U.S., European and British.
Launched September 23, 2006 its initial orbit has a perigee altitude of 280 km, an apogee at 686 km and an inclination of 98.8 degrees.
Hinode, which since 2006 our star maps in high resolution, capturing stunning images also Solar eclipses. A LEO satellite goes around the Earth in about 90 minutes. It can capture the eclipse several times from different points of view.
Depending on its orbit, HINODE can see the phenomenon three times, as during the solar eclipse of 25 November 2011 (see video).

Image: Solar eclipse of May 20, 2012 for the Japanese Hinode solar satellite. © Hinode / JAXA / NASA.

Video: Depending on its orbit, HINODE could see the phenomenon of the eclipse of the Sun, three times, 25 November 2011.

Solar eclipse seen by the satellite PROBA

Solar eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon and the observer are perfectly aligned.
Our satellites also observe solar eclipses.
The view is amazing and perfect as these observations are made outside of the atmosphere of Earth.
From space satellite cameras do not suffer the drawbacks weather, just as the satellite is in the shadow of the Moon when the eclipse of the Sun.
On May 20, 2012 astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have admired the spectacle of an eclipse out of the Earth.
The small satellite Proba-2 of the ESA with its two instruments dedicated to studying the Sun is a frequent observations of the sun eclipsed.
He had already photographed, this kind of eclipse January 15, 2010 and January 4, 2011.
Proba-2 goes around the Earth every 100 minutes at 700 km altitude.
On May 20, 2012 it crossed four times the shadow of the moon and took us to this beautiful photograph.

When the moon passes between the satellite and the Sun, the pictures of cameras are extremely detailed, making it possible to observe the lunar limb irregularities or solar flares.

Image: The solar eclipse or partial occultation of 20 May 2012 for the Proba-2. © Esa (European Space Agency)