Last week, on the 20th of April 2023, the satellite images on our website captured a remarkable event across numerous regions in southeast Asia and western Australia: A moon shadow, created by a solar eclipse, moved from the Indian Ocean towards Australia. At approximately 03:15 (UTC), there was even a brief total eclipse of the sun visible, at least in some locations. For example, the residents of Exmouth in Australia and many onlookers who intentionally journeyed to the province were tremendously fortunate, as they were able to fully savour the eclipse for several seconds.
If you find yourself in the right place at the right time, you can witness the moon completely obscuring the sun, resulting in a brief yet total eclipse. All that remains visible is the so-called corona, a radiant ring only observable during a total solar eclipse. However, this particular eclipse was of an exceedingly rare variety. To be precise, it was a hybrid eclipse, in which a solar ring is visible at the beginning and the end of the eclipse. This type of eclipse is uncommon and will not recur in the coming years.
The eclipse could also be observed in parts of Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea. If you missed it or did not manage to make it to the ideal location, you can utilise our satellite images to trace the solar eclipse. The video displays the shadow caused by the solar eclipse. Additionally, you can find the historical satellite images in our maps interface, while historical satellite images (dating back to the year 2019) are included in our point+ subscription.
Many thanks to our user who discovered the spectacular shadow on our maps.
