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20110107

Caught between the Moon and Sun

Lookee real close here - that's a sunspot, and an International Space Station (Click for big). Did you know that a full solar eclipse is entirely co-incidental? That is, a full solar eclipse depends on three factors: The size of the moon, the size of the sun, and the distance between the eclipser and the eclipsee. That is, the moon, right now, is the perfect size at the perfect spot to completely eclipse the Sun, perfectly. In a couple of hundred million years, as the moon moves ever further away, full solar eclipses will no longer be available on Earth. As a matter of fact, we - right now - might be one of the only, if not the only, spots in our galaxy that experiences full solar eclipses. Cool, huh? Maybe it was Jeebus.

Anyways, theme:
ISS in front of the moon. What's big is small, what's small is big. Size is 100% relative.

Both these photos were taken by the same guy - Theirry Legault. And he got both pics in the span of a few weeks, traveling the world to do so. Ultra cool!

4 comments:

vera lynn said...

I had seen the first one with the eclipse, but not the Moon one. You know I'm a cancer, so I love the Moon. :)

Redshirt said...

As a moon lover, could you ever be persuaded to call it "Luna"?

vera lynn said...

I never remember to do that, I do prefer Luna. You will have to keep reminding me. (and I'm blond, so a little slow)

Redshirt said...

Naw, no one will use Luna or Sol in our generation. We'd have to routinely be referring to other moons/stars before it catches on, I think. Just trying to be ahead of the curve!