by Staff Writers Paris (ESA) Nov 15, 2012 ESA's Sun-watching
Proba-2 satellite experienced three partial solar eclipses last
night while lucky observers watching from northern Australia
were treated to a total solar eclipse. During a total solar
eclipse, the Moon moves in front of the Sun as seen from Earth,
their alignment and separation such that the much closer Moon
appears large enough to block out the light from the much more
distant Sun. Since Proba-2 orbits Earth about 14.5 times per
day, it can dip in and out of the Moon's shadow around the time
of a solar eclipse. The constant change in viewing angle of
Proba-2 meant that the satellite passed through the shadow three
times during the eclipse yesterday, as shown in the video
presented here. As the Sun was never completely covered up from
Proba-2's vantage point, each eclipse was only partial. imager,
which snaps the Sun in ultraviolet light. Stormy active regions
on the Sun's face are revealed, including sunspots, the roots of
some large solar flares