In the midst of today's extraordinary total solar eclipse, millions of people worldwide marveled at the breathtaking spectacle unfolding in the sky. While the ground-level view did not disappoint, it was the astronauts orbiting the Earth who truly experienced the awe-inspiring magnitude of the event.

Captured on video footage shared by NASA, a massive dark cloud, the Moon's shadow, engulfed vast areas of the United States, casting an ethereal darkness over the landscape as it traveled across the continent. From the International Space Station (ISS), crew members witnessed the extraordinary occurrence of the Moon obscuring the Sun and the subsequent movement of its shadow across the country.

Throughout the day, social media platforms buzzed with videos showcasing the eclipse's path of totality in major cities such as Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and even Niagara Falls, where darkness abruptly descended despite it being mid-afternoon. The rarity of today's eclipse was further magnified by the fact that it traversed the homes of hundreds of millions of people, making it an extraordinary event for many.

While the ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, providing only fleeting glimpses of celestial phenomena, it was fortuitous for the astronauts to align their position with the path of totality during the solar eclipse. In August 2017, they had already captured a mesmerizing view of the eclipse, witnessing the Moon's shadow transform into an ominous cloud of darkness on the distant horizon.

As the solar eclipse unfolded, NASA took a lighthearted approach on social media. The official NASA lunar science and exploration account created a humorous exchange, tweeting, "Oops I did it again," along with a mocked-up screenshot of the "Sun and Space" account blocking their profile.

Today's total solar eclipse reminded us of the extraordinary wonders of our universe. The views captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station serve as a testament to the beauty and majesty of such rare celestial events.