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Credit & Copyright: Michael Kobusch
Explanation:
A
total
eclipse of the Sun is that special
geocentric
celestial event where the Moon passes exactly
in front of the solar disk.
During a fleeting
few minutes of totality, fortunate earthdwellers located
within the path of the Moon's dark shadow
can witness
the wondrous shimmering solar corona sharing
the sky with stars and bright planets.
The next total solar eclipse will occur
tomorrow, June 21.
Since the Sun is still
near the maximum
of its 11 year active cycle,
careful
eclipse-watchers will also likely see the spectacle of bright solar
prominences lofted above active regions around the Sun's edge.
In fact, a telescopic view could be similar to this stunningly
detailed image -- a picture of the solar eclipse of August 1999
taken at the beginning of totality from Kecel, Hungary.
The upcoming
2001 June 21 event
will be visible as a partial eclipse
from some of South America and much of Africa,
but will only be total along a
125 mile wide path that tracks across land
through Southern Africa and Madagascar.
Of course, if you can't travel to
Africa
tomorrow (and you're not already there),
web sites plan
to offer live views from the Moon's shadow!
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: total solar eclipse - prominence - active Sun
Publications with words: total solar eclipse - prominence - active Sun
See also: