The upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8 will offer a unique opportunity to witness rare solar phenomena, including prominences and coronal mass ejections. Prominences, which are dark-pink towers and loops of electrically charged plasma stretching into space, were particularly spectacular during the last total solar eclipse in Australia in 2023.
During totality, skywatchers may also be able to observe coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, which occur multiple times a month and can last for several hours or minutes respectively. Giant eruptive prominences, involving red towers and loops detached from the sun’s surface and free-floating in the corona, are a highly sought-after phenomenon among astronomers.
One particular project that is aiming to take advantage of the upcoming eclipse is the Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse (CATE) project. This initiative plans to capture a continuous 60-minute 3D movie of the sun’s corona by utilizing 35 teams of citizen scientists.
Overall, the total solar eclipse on April 8 is expected to be an exciting event for both skywatchers and scientists, providing a rare glimpse of these awe-inspiring solar phenomena. Be sure to mark your calendars and prepare your telescopes for this celestial spectacle.
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