![]() ![]() This region of the atmosphere, called the corona, is usually obscured by the sun's brighter body, but during the eclipse, as the light from the heart of the sun is covered, skywatchers can catch a glimpse of this and other atmospheric features.ĭuring the last few seconds before the moon entirely covers disk of the sun, the thinning crescent of light will break up into a series of small dots that look like beads on a string. The sun's magnetic field controls the star's atmosphere, so the gas surrounding the sun is shaped into jets, ribbons and loops created by the magnetic field lines. (Image credit: NASA/ESA/SOHO/SDO/Joy Ng and MLSO/K-Cor)Īs the moon edges between the Earth and the sun, hidden features of the solar atmosphere can also become visible. Shown here is an image created by various NASA probes, which use special equipment to study the sun's extreme atmosphere. The sun's atmosphere, typically invisible to skywatchers on Earth, becomes visible during a total solar eclipse. Temperatures can drop 10 or more degrees as the sunlight disapears, Fienberg told, and Mercury and Venus, often hidden behind the sun in the daytime, can become visible, as can some of the brighter stars. Because of the rapid darkening during such an event, animals have been known to become confused, with birds halting their songs and cows sometimes heading back to the barn, according to Rick Fienberg, press officer for the American Astronomical Society and an eclipse aficionado. Be sure to read our complete guide on safely viewing a total solar eclipse to avoid damaging your eyes.ĭuring the eclipse, observers will experience twilight conditions at midday. Once the moon has completely blocked the disk of the sun, however, observers can view the hidden atmosphere of the sun with the naked eye. People using telescopes should obtain solar filters. Skywatchers planning to observe the eclipse should obtain eclipse glasses even multiple pairs of sunglasses will not be strong enough to protect your eyes. See our complete safety guide to find out how to view the eclipse safely. NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. REMEMBER: Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. As a result, the moon is just the right size to completely block the light from the sun. The diameter of Earth's moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun's, but the sun lies about 400 times farther away than the planet's satellite. ![]() The partial eclipse will also be visible from the rest of North America, Central America and part of South America.Ī total solar eclipse on Earth is possible only because of a fortunate geometrical coincidence. (including in Alaska and Hawaii) positioned outside of this band will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. The region where the moon completely covers the sun - called the "path of totality" - will pass through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. 21, 2017, the total solar eclipse will be visible along a 70-mile-wide (113 kilometers) band stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. ![]()
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