In short, the corona is the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere. The corona is usually obscured by bright light from the surface of the sun. This makes it difficult to see without using special instruments. However, the corona can be seen during a total solar eclipse.
About the Solar Corona
Our sun is enveloped with a layer of gas called the atmosphere. The corona forms the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere.
The corona is normally outshone by bright light from the sun’s surface. This makes it rather tricky to see without using special instruments. During a total solar eclipse, though, the corona can be seen.
In a total solar eclipse, the moon passes between Earth and the sun. The moon will block the bright light of the sun at that time. You shall then have a glowing white corona around the obscured sun.
Attention must be given to eye safety during a total solar eclipse. Except during the brief full phase of the eclipse, when the moon completely covers the bright face of the sun, it is not safe to look at the sun without specialized eye protection devices. Please see NASA Eclipse safety for information on proper viewing techniques and equipment.
Why is the corona so dim?
Its temperature has already reached as high as tens of millions of degrees. However, the corona is so dim. Why? The density in the corona is about ten million times lower than at the surface of the sun. It is just this low density that makes the brightness of the corona much lower than that at the surface of the sun.
Why is the corona so hot?
The high temperature of the corona is somewhat mysterious. Imagine sitting next to a campfire. The weather is very warm. But when you stay away from the fire, you will feel cooler. This is opposite of what seems to be happening on the Sun.
This is one of the many mysteries that have, over the years, been pursued by astronomers. Corona forms the outer layer of the solar atmosphere, and it’s pretty much a considerable distance from the surface. While the sun’s surface should emit the maximum temperature-as it generates energy through nuclear fusion in its core-the temperature of the corona is several hundred times hotter than the sun’s surface.
The possible answer may come from the IRIS mission of NASA, which unraveled a very hot mass package entering the corona from the sun, called a “thermal bomb.” Thermal bombs explode in the corona and release heat therein. However, this is one of many ways, believe astronomers, by which the corona is heated.
Coronal loops and streamers
A magnetic field permeates the surface of the Sun: it is that magnetic field which lends the facility to a magnet to stick to any metal, such as the refrigerator door.
The sun’s magnetic field shapes charged particles in the corona and creates some beautiful features. These features come in ribbons, rings, feathers, etc., and can be viewed with clarity through special telescopes.
How does the corona cause solar winds?
The corona extends deep into the space. It produces solar wind streaming through our solar system. The temperature of the corona is so high that its particles move at very high speeds. The speeds are so great that particles can achieve a quality of ‘escape velocity,’ where they can go outside the gravitational pull of the sun.
Photographing the Corona: The Pursuit of Cosmic Marmels
The capturing of such elusive beauty in a total solar eclipse is beyond photography, but is a journey right into the core of celestial mechanics and a dance with cosmic time. The corona is made up of an ethereal outer layer of the solar atmosphere, worth seeing but not without preparation and a little unexpectedness that meets.
It started with an innocent question where a friend ‘accidentally’ mentioned to me the solar eclipse that was about to occur. Taking a picture of this incident sounded daunting at the very start, as one usually associates solar photography with very specialized equipment. The longest lens I possess is a 200mm regular lens – which is hardly the powerful lens necessary to capture the magnificent halo of the sun as people imagine.
While these words were left with much trepidation, they still have managed to sow a seed of curiosity in my mind. A little research shows this might not be as insurmountable as it felt. The chance to frame a solar eclipse with my existing equipment through the purchase of a simple solar film now comes across as an achievable goal rather than a fanciful dream.
With the solar eclipse at hand, the journey logistical work now takes form. The narrow strip – the path of totality in which the moon will fully cover the sun – will be crossing through a family’s home in North Carolina. An email confirmed that though the house was already filled with people, there was still extra room available. A decision has been reached: I need to see and document all food.
Well, this adventure was not without hiccups. My colleague from Ohio, a photographer I had planned to carpool with, canceled at the last minute. The exploration seems destined to end before it begins. Then fate intervened again, and a family from New York decided very late to join the pilgrimage and offered me a ride.
The movement to the whole is not just physical relocation; This is a world where the ordinary rules of day and night are temporarily suspended. When the moon slides over the sun, the sunlight gradually weakens and the temperature drops. The world holds its breath, full of anticipation.
I am ready; my camera is now equipped with solar film. The moment of totality, though very brief, is no less than dramatic. The solar corona now stands in full view-a transparent halo that is invisible under normal conditions. This is a photographer’s dream : the rare privilege to shoot an event that reflects how our solar system works.
It’s about the balance of time and exposure in taking a photo of a solar eclipse. Because to accurately measure the dynamic range of the corona, one has to shoot many shots at different exposures. Thus, I work preciously in the very, very brief moment of totality, knowing full well that any mistake might be a miss for a good opportunity.
The real work was just beginning upon returning home: a week of heavy editing, combining multiple exposures into a single image that captured the corona’s full lacework and the primordial power of the events. It is no more than a photograph; it is testimony to the wonder of the universe, to the spirit of man.
Chaos reigned after the solar eclipse. People are trying to reuse their eclipse glasses by donating them to various organizations like Astronomers Without Borders, who will redistribute them to others around the world during the next eclipses. A solar eclipse as a mass event gives way to a sort of communal feeling about experiencing a miracle together.
There were celebrations with music and assemblies in Montreal, and the parks were filled with thousands of onlookers to view this spectacle. Adding a layer of cultural heritage to the purely astronomical phenomenon, the Metropolitan Orchestra played live music during the astronomical event.
The solar eclipse has raised concerns about possible eye damage. People are afraid, despite the warnings and protection goggles, they will make a mistake and cause damage to their eyes. Fortunately, it is rather rare because the human eye simply doesn’t like looking straight into the sun, and this is effective protection against most vision problems.
This is the myth and superstition fallacy about the solar eclipse, which has been washed away just like this event has passed with normalcy resumed. The solar eclipse did not release harmful radiation, did not harm pregnant women, and did not damage food. Rather, these are but echoes from ancient beliefs, reminding one of how celestial events have always acted out a magic spell of awe and fear upon human beings.
Being able to photograph the corona is not only a photographic achievement but also a hint about our standing in the universe, a blink of a moment when the disposition of the heavenly bodies makes the grandeur and mystery of the sun be right in focus. This reminds us that the best sceneries sometimes require us to go beyond the surface and look for beauty hidden from our everyday gaze.
This picture of the corona is the result of a thousand-mile journey and a week of editing, a personal milestone and a treasure shared. It’s a snapshot of a brief moment alignment of the universe-a captivatingly humble dance of shadows and light, reminding us of the enduring charm of the universe.
Related posts:
Solar eclipse 2024: Follow the path of totality
How to Shoot Solar-Eclipse Images & Videos
Simple tips to safely photograph the eclipse with your cellphone
