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Credit & Copyright: Miloslav DruckmÝller
(Brno U. of Tech.),
Martin Dietzel, Peter Aniol, Vojtech Ruin
Explanation:
Only in the fleeting darkness of a total solar eclipse is the
light of the solar corona easily visible.
Normally overwhelmed by the bright solar disk, the
expansive corona, the
sun's outer atmosphere,
is an alluring sight.
But the subtle details and
extreme ranges in the corona's brightness, although discernible
to the eye, are notoriously difficult to photograph.
Pictured
here,
however, using multiple images and digital processing, is a detailed image of the
Sun's corona taken during the
2008 August total
solar eclipse from
Mongolia.
Clearly visible are
intricate layers and glowing caustics of an ever
changing mixture of hot gas and
magnetic fields.
Bright looping prominences
appear pink just above the Sun's
limb.
A similar solar corona might be
visible through clear
skies in a
thin swath across the USA during a
total solar eclipse that occurs
just one week from tomorrow.
Citizen Science:
How to participate during the Aug. 21 eclipse.
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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
Publications with words: total solar eclipse
See also: