A dramatic view of the sun at’ solar maximum’ will await eclipse-chasers on April 8, 2024, during North America’s total solar eclipse.
Only those inside a 125-mile (200 km) wide path of totality can glimpse the sun’s corona — its hotter outer atmosphere — with their naked eyes during totality. Only throughout the exact moment of totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun are you able to look with the naked eye. In any respect other times, precautions should be taken. It is a sight to behold, regardless of the level of solar activity, however the latest predictions have the sun reaching the height of its current cycle in 2024, the corona now looks set to be at its largest and spikiest just in time for totality. With cameras much improved because the last solar maximum in 2012, unique images might be possible.
Related: Solar maximum will arrive sooner and last more than previously expected, say scientists
REMEMBER to NEVER take a look at the sun directly. To soundly view this solar eclipse you need to use solar filters in any respect times. Only throughout the exact moment of totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun are you able to look with the naked eye. In any respect other times, precautions should be taken. Observers might want to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars should have solar filters placed in front of their lenses.
Solar maximum vs solar minimum
In line with a statement from solar physicists at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the sun will now peak in its current activity cycle between January and October 2024, a yr sooner than previous estimates.
The sun has a cycle of roughly 11 years, during which it waxes and wanes between solar minimum and solar maximum. It is a cycle driven by the sun’s magnetic field. The variety of sunspots on its surface is how scientists work out at what stage of the cycle the sun is at.
How solar maximum affects the corona
“A complete solar eclipse provides a novel opportunity to view the sun’s atmosphere, the corona, with the naked eye,” said Dr. Ryan French, a solar physicist on the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Boulder, Colorado and the writer of The Sun: Beginner’s Guide To Our Local Star, in an email to Space. “However the corona is all the time changing and its appearance is determined by the extent of solar activity.”
During totality at a complete solar eclipse, the naked eye sees the difference between the 2 extremes, which is apparent. “At solar minimum, when the sun is quiet, structure within the corona is confined to the equators,” said French. “Long, stretching ‘streamers’ and visual emanating from the sun.” Nevertheless, during a solar maximum eclipse-chasers can expect some activity within the corona stretching beyond the equators and as much as the poles. “In the event you see an eclipse during this energetic period, the sun’s corona may appear to be the standard ‘star’ shape that you simply likely drew as a toddler, with streamers pointing in all directions,” said French.
How solar maximum affects prominences
Something else that tends to be more evident during a complete solar eclipse during solar maximum is the prominences across the moon’s limb. A shiny pinkish-red loop to the naked eye, prominences are tangles of magnetic material anchored to the sun’s surface and may last for days. Nevertheless, during solar maximum, the view may be different. “Normally, you discover them along the sun’s equator, but at solar maximum, you may see stuff in every single place,” said Amir Caspi, Principal Scientist on the Southwest Research Institute, who’s heading up an experiment using considered one of NASA’s WB-57 high altitude aircraft to review the corona from above most of Earth’s atmosphere. “Considered one of the things that you’re going to see in 2024 is lots more stuff within the north and south polar regions of the sun that you simply didn’t see in 2017.” Back in 2017, a lot of the prominences were along the equatorial region. This time, not only are they more likely, but they may appear anywhere.
Related: Solar cycle: What’s it and why does it matter?
The difference between the sun during total solar eclipses is most easily seen by comparing images from expert eclipse photographer Fred Espenak. For instance, this image taken near the last solar minimum on July 2, 2019, in Chile shows the corona at its smallest, roughly, with defined streamers on the poles and with few prominences. Fast-forward 4 years to April 20, 2023, and the sun in eclipse is closer to solar maximum, this time from a cruise ship off Western Australia, showing the corona much larger and more defined, with prominences in every single place.
Why 2024 might be different to 2023
Although probably the most recent total solar eclipse featured an enlarged corona, it was harder to see visually, which might be the case in 2024. That is since it was a hybrid solar eclipse, where the moon was only just large enough to cover the sun, which it did for just over a minute. “The corona far out is dim, and shut to the disk, it’s shiny,” a specialist within the School of Physics & Applied Physics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Co-Chair of the Southern Illinois Eclipse 2017-2024 Steering Committee Bob Baer told Space.com. “We saw that again in Australia, where to me visually, the moon almost looked prefer it didn’t cover the solar disk completely so it was super shiny right right down to the sun’s surface.” It also didn’t get particularly dark during totality. None of that can occur in North America on April 8, when the moon might be closer to Earth and appear larger than the sun. Consequently, the moon will easily cover the sun, and totality will last lots longer — as much as 4 minutes and 28 seconds — and the sky will appear much darker. The corona might be barely larger, easier to see, and be visible for for much longer.
How one can optimize your view of the corona
Generally speaking, the very best technique to get a wonderful corona view during totality is to make use of a pair of binoculars or a small telescope. Nevertheless, for this particular eclipse — with the corona expected to be so large — the very best technique to see it should arguably be to take a look at it with the naked eye. Only then will you have the option to see its extent. One easy technique to get a greater view than everyone else is to dark adapt your eyes before totality, either by utilizing a watch patch on one eye (after which remaking it and shutting the opposite eye during totality) or by wearing a pair of red welding goggles (which you remove when totality begins).
Once you have checked out the corona and appreciated its size, there is no higher close-up in astronomy than the view of the corona through any pair of binoculars or a small telescope. The previous is straightforward enough to depart hanging around your neck (but just be certain to not point any optical equipment on the un-eclipsed sun — you’ll have solar filters for that).
Either way, the view of the sun in eclipse on April 8 must have hundreds of thousands of Americans aiming to achieve the trail of totality. Those that don’t will get a partial solar eclipse and completely miss out on a unprecedented sight.