NASA shares images of 2021's last total solar eclipse clicked by astronauts aboard the ISS

The Earth just witnessed its last solar eclipse of 2021 and the images revealed after the celestial event have taken the internet by storm. With Antarctica being the only region to witness a complete solar eclipse, some parts of the world were able to experience the Moon partially covering the Sun. However, for those who were not able to witness either of the two, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released two spectacular images offering a belated glimpse of the final solar eclipse of 2021 from Space. 

Taking to Twitter, the agency shared two pictures of the solar eclipse taken from the International Space Station (ISS) giving us an idea about what the ISS astronauts must have witnessed. Quoting one of the crew members, Kayla Barron, NASA informed that the astronauts of Expedition 66 had squeezed in a cupola docked at the space station to spot the eclipse 400 kilometres above the planet.

In the image shared above, a part of the Earth can be seen covered in darkness with a patch of long shadow stretching to a huge distance and this is what the solar eclipse is all about. The Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth, fully or partially blocking the Sun’s light in some areas. Several other images and videos are also being circulated on social media as netizens are sharing glimpses of the incredible phenomenon. 

What areas was the eclipse visible from?

Among all the places on the Earth, Antarctica was the only region where a complete solar eclipse was visible from. Australia, South Africa, South America and around the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean were the other regions to encounter the eclipse to some extent. Lasting a total of four hours and eight minutes, the eclipse started at 11:00 am (IST), peaked at around 1:03 PM (IST) and ended at 03:07 PM (IST), however, it was not directly visible from India. NASA had even organised a live event for the eclipse on its official YouTube channel. Interested Space enthusiasts, who missed the event can still stream the video to experience the last solar eclipse of the current year. 

Image: Twitter/@NASA_Astronauts