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Observing a total solar eclipse is an amazing experience, but observing it from orbit would be truly spectacular. The ISS astronauts could potentially have an opportunity in 2024, but will the ground track of the ISS cross the eclipse path at the right time?

enter image description here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_April_8,_2024

Edit: I made an error assuming the ground tracks of the ISS and eclipse need to coincide. The ground track of the ISS is projected along the Earth’s radius, while the eclipse ground track is projected along the Sun’s (and the Moon’s) radius. Due to the ISS altitude, these do not coincide except over the subsolar point.

enter image description here

Edit: To clarify, I mean observe the eclipse from within the umbra:

enter image description here

https://www.nationalgeographic.com

As opposed to outside the umbra:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ISS-52_Eclipse_2017_Umbra_Viewed_from_Space_(4).jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ISS-52_Eclipse_2017_Umbra_Viewed_from_Space_(4).jpg

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Yes, and No.

They saw the eclipse's shadow on Earth's surface:

From NASA's Station Orbits into Eclipse, Crew Works Research and Spacesuits:

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, on Earth was visible from the space station as it orbited into the path of the solar eclipse over southeastern Canada.

The Moon's shadow, or umbra, on Earth was visible from the space station as it orbited into the path of the solar eclipse over southeastern Canada.

The Moon’s shadow, or umbra, on Earth was visible from the space station as it orbited into the path of the solar eclipse over southeastern Canada. The International Space Station soared into the Moon’s shadow during the solar eclipse on Monday afternoon. The Expedition 71 crew members had an opportunity to view the shadow at the end of their workday filled with cargo transfers, spacesuit maintenance, and microgravity research.

The windows on the cupola, the orbital outpost’s “window to the world,” were open and NASA Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps were inside photographing and videotaping the Moon’s shadow on Earth, or umbra, beneath them. They were orbiting 260 miles above southeastern Canada as the Moon’s umbra was moving from New York state into Newfoundland.

However, the article goes on:

The space station experienced a totality of about 90% during its flyover period. Views of the solar eclipse itself, the Moon orbiting directly between the sun and the Earth, were only accessible through a pair of windows in the space station’s Roscosmos segment which may not have been accessible due to cargo constraints.

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    $\begingroup$ Yikes, it's embarrassing to see a NASA article mention a percentage of totality. You're either in the umbra or you're not. Their wording should have been a "90% partial eclipse". $\endgroup$
    – Doresoom
    Commented Apr 10 at 20:27
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    $\begingroup$ "may not have been accessible due to cargo constraints" ... "Mum, can we go watch the eclipse?" - "No boy, I put some boxes in front of the window, but here are some cookies." $\endgroup$
    – asdfex
    Commented Apr 11 at 12:43

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