Satellite eclipse

To help understand the dynamics of what happens to a satellite, Questiny created a movie to demonstrate the view from a satellite’s perspective during an eclipse. This eclipse is from a Geostationary orbit of the XM-4 Satellite of XM Radio during Spring of 2013.

At the Vernal Equinox, the Sun follows the black line through the center of the Earth. This eclipse lasts for 20 minutes until the Sun emerges from the other side of the Earth. Each day, the sun will be further along the green path – and will follow a nearly horizontal path behind Earth until it passes above or below the Earth out of the satellite’s eclipse season.

Click play button to start the visualization.