Eclipses Viewed From the Moon

A total solar eclipse seen from the moon should be an awesome sight. Although the Earth is much larger than the primary disc of the sun, we'll still be able to see sunlight transmitted through the atmosphere as a prismatic sunrise encircling the entire globe; and the solar corona will appear as prominences emanating from this rainbow ring. The footage of such an event would be very valuable, if anyone was in the right place at the right time.

One of the most fascinating phenomena of a total solar eclipse seen on Earth is the shadowbands which occur just before totality. These are interference patterns from rays of sunlight peeking through the mountains on the limb of the moon. They show up as moving diamonds of light on the surface of the Earth.

I don't know if there will be a similar phenomenon during a total eclipse viewed from the moon. I would think not, since Earth's atmosphere filters and scatters the sunlight; however, focussing sunlight through the thin bubble of atmosphere might cause other fascinating effects.

       Dates and Times: (2002-2005)

     10 Jun 2002,   11:48 pm CST, SE       (SE - Solar Eclipse, LE - Lunar Eclipse)
      4 Dec 2002,    7:36 am CST, SE
     16 May 2003,    3:37 am CST, LE
      9 Nov 2003,    4:21 am CST, LE
      4 May 2004,    8:35 pm CST, LE
     28 Oct 2004,    3:09 am CST, LE
      8 Apr 2005,    8:33 pm CST, SE
      3 Oct 2005,   10:29 am CST, SE
     17 Oct 2005,   12:15 pm CST, LE