Special Physics Photo of the Week

Totality!

April 8, 2024 - Photo by Donald F. Collins

We traveled to Shaker Heights, Ohio (next to Cleveland) to capture the total solar eclipse.  We woke up to some rain and solid clouds as a cold front passed through, but the front passed with beautiful clear skies by noon.  The totality began about 3:13 pm and lasted 3 min:49 sec.

The total solar eclipse is characterized by the corona - the halo immediately surrounding the Sun.  The corona consists of ionized gases ejected from the surface of the Sun which glow with the spectra characteristic of the the elements in the Sun.  The shape of the corona is variable from eclipse to eclipse causing every solar eclipse to produce a different display.  The corona is also strongly shaped by the strong magnetic fields surrounding the Sun. 

The eclipse also shows several solar prominences - the flame-like ejections of solar mater being "boiled" off into space.  The prominence protruding from the south limb (the bottom edge of the photo) was clearly visible to the crowd of spectators gathered in the local school's athletic fields.  It was a beautiful sight!  

Sunspots (see PPOW for March 8, 2024) are believed to be the sources of prominences.  The numbers of sunspots varies in an 11 year cycle - the cause for this cycle is still not understood by astrophysicists.  We are currently near the peak of the sunspot cycle.  

The photo at right is the solar eclipse from 2017, seven years ago.  The main difference is that the prominences are considerably different.  They are relatively transient phenomena.

 

 

 

 

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Physics Photo of the Week is published periodically during the academic year on Fridays by Donald F. Collins, professor emeritus of Warren Wilson College. These photos feature interesting phenomena in the world around us.  Students, faculty, and others are invited to submit digital (or film) photographs for publication and explanation. Atmospheric phenomena are especially welcome. Please send any photos to dcollins@warren-wilson.edu.

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