{
  "id": 476372,
  "title": "'Like a Hole in the Universe': Artemis 2 Astronaut Victor Glover Reflects on Seeing a Total Solar Eclipse While Flying by the Moon",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/like-a-hole-in-the-universe-artemis-2-astronaut-victor-glover",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-10T14:11:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Smithsonian",
    "slug": "smithsonian",
    "url": "https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/like-a-hole-in-the-universe-artemis-2-astronaut-victor-glover-reflects-on-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-while-flying-by-the-moon-180989284/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On April 6, 2026, during the six-day Artemis 2 mission, a total solar eclipse was witnessed by astronauts around the far side of the moon. Victor Glover, a NASA astronaut and pilot, described the sight as \"a hole in the universe,\" with the moon appearing to have a dark spot where the sun had disappeared. The crew observed the eerie phenomenon for nearly 54 minutes, taking photos and recording scientific data. The eclipse was a coincidence resulting from the mission's delayed launch, which placed the spacecraft at the optimal position to witness the event. The experience was eerily similar to what Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong saw 57 years prior. The Artemis 2 astronauts used eclipse glasses, just like those on Earth, to protect their eyes from the sun's intense heat during the eclipse. The dynamic view of the sun's corona, which is typically hidden by the star's bright light, provided valuable scientific data for researchers. The observations from Artemis 2 are already revealing new details about the environment around the sun, including the F-corona, which is a glow around the sun generated as light reflects off surrounding dust.",
  "summary": "The four astronauts who rounded Earth’s natural satellite in April got an extremely rare view of the dark lunar disk blocking out the sun. Researchers say the observations provide unique scientific value for understanding our star’s mysteries",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Nasa invites Isro to join Moon Base program under Artemis Accords",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/nasa-invites-isro-to-join-moon-base-program-under-artemis-accords",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:06:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}