discoverynews:

Our moon photo-bombed the sun, yo.

what a thug.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Earth Eclipses View of Solar Dynamic Observatory

While this video is from 2007, it’s fall eclipse season! This is the time of year when Earth passes in from of the Solar Dynamic Observatory, eclipsing the sun from its vantage point.

I had a conversation with a friend today about why NASA (and space exploration in general) is good. She didn’t think it was worth the money and would rather spend their brains and budget on world hunger or other worthy causes. I pointed her to a number of reasons why space exploration helps the people of Earth.

That black shadow in the video above is our moon moving in the way of the sun. How is that not worth less than a penny per tax dollar?

For most people the most important reason isn’t monetary, scientific, or political.

Space-exploration just plain inspires people, worldwide.