Bird's eye view: Total solar eclipse from above

On April 8th, a total solar eclipse crossed North America. A weather satellite captured the moment with a bird's eye view.

As darkness descended over the path of totality, more than 35,000 km above the planet's surface, NOAA's weather satellite, GOES East, had the best view of all.

The footage above shows four hours of the total solar eclipse, in a four-second loop.

Feeling left out? While the UK will not see a total solar eclipse until 2090, a near total eclipse is expected to arrive in 2026.

In August 2026, around 90% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon from our vantage point in the UK and Ireland. Though if you want to see the eclipse in full you won't have to travel far.

The path of totality for the next eclipse in two years will cross the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean and northern Spain. Offering two nearby locations for those keen to travel and view the astronomical event.

Learn more about how solar eclipses develop: