Celestial events like eclipses, comet sightings and Mars transiting across the Sun are quite rare. They generate a lot of interest due to their rarity and stupendous beauty and you tend to see people preparing to watch these celestial events since they are quite easy to track.
One of the rarest celestial events is a total solar eclipse where the moon completely blocks the sun rays for a short while and this is usually quite the spectacle as you see the moon slowly cover the sun until totality. People come out in large numbers to view the eclipse using special glasses and photographers usually grab this chance to take some sweet shots of the eclipse, either by covering the various phases of the eclipse or focusing solely on the totality phase.
Well, since we are in the age where people share their experiences on social media, the latest total solar eclipse that happened across the United States yesterday generate a lot of buzz across various social media platforms. NASA had a livestream of the events and people across the belt of totality shared photos of the eclipse in their full glory.
This is just epic…
The eclipse this morning was incredible! Big thanks to my friends Ted Hesser, Martina Tibell and Tommy Smith for making this photo happen. pic.twitter.com/S78MeQI78D
— Andrew Studer (@studercinema) August 21, 2017
This guy caught the various phases complete with a lens starburst
https://twitter.com/Shoujoboi/status/899708650855342080
A wide shot of the eclipse
This was taken in Nebraska by my niece. #SolarEclipse2017 pic.twitter.com/7OUrxHE5bU
— Debbie McColpin (@DebbieMccolpin) August 21, 2017
NASA won yesterday with this photo
https://twitter.com/kwentongupd/status/899849287692988417
Sony took the opportunity to market their camera with this shot
#SolarEclipse2017 via @jlanierphoto #SonyAlpha
(Sony A6500 | f/5.6, 400mm | ISO 100 | 1/80 sec) pic.twitter.com/SIaJv4hlkn— Sony Electronics (@SonyElectronics) August 21, 2017
Very clean shot!
https://twitter.com/cooper2232/status/899752197247905793
The International Space Station had to make an appearance
The International Space Station just pulled off the photobomb of a lifetime #SolarEclipse2017 #SolarEclipse Photo by NASA's Joel Kowsky pic.twitter.com/Sx2PbQ649k
— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) August 21, 2017
A plane also photobombed the eclipse
https://twitter.com/hollyhaygood/status/899730036592455689
Another cool photo of the totality phase showing even the sun prominences
Awesome photos (courtesy of my dad!) of the inner corona and spectacular prominences that we caught during totality today!! 😁 #Eclipse2017 pic.twitter.com/2iOf78Xt4B
— Prof. Emily Levesque 🤓✨🔭📚 (@emsque) August 21, 2017
My favourite is this timelapse photo of the various phases as a streak across the sky
What an epic shot of the #SolarEclipse2017
— Lutf Ali (@lutfali15) August 22, 2017
