2024-04-06 18:00:00
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There is no doubt that when it comes to attractive and quirky astronomical events, the total solar eclipse is one that tops the list. Not only because of its beauty or because of the fascination caused by the momentary occultation of the Sun in broad daylight, but because of its rarity and uniqueness: The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) estimates that, from the same place on Earth, the event could occur every 300 years. For this reason, when one of them takes place, it is an occasion that cannot go unnoticed.
This NASA map shows the exact path of the April eclipse
Fortunately, Monday, April 8, is one of those opportunities: a total solar eclipse will be visible from Mexico, the United States, Canada and a small part of Spain, although in this case only partially.
As if this phenomenon alone were not impressive enough, the eclipse will bring with it the possibility of observing three not so common phenomena and that generate great curiosity: the Baily pearls, the Diamond Ring and the Sunspots.
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The eclipses of 2024 that you cannot miss
BAILY’S PEARLS
During a total solar eclipse, a very unique phenomenon becomes visible just before and after the moment of totality. These are the Pearls of Baily, small “pearl” o “drops of light” that form around the irregular contour of the Moon as the solar disk sets or reappears. The name comes from the British astronomer Francis Baily, who was one of the first scientists to observe and explain this phenomenon in the 19th century.
Simply put, Baily Pearls are the result of sunlight filtering through the valleys and mountains of the Moon, creating bright spots which appear as luminous pearls around the dark edge.
The places from which the April solar eclipse will be seen
It is an effect that is due to the irregular and mountainous nature of the lunar profile, which allows sunlight to filter unevenly as the Moon moves in front of the Sun.
Luis Rojas M.
Baily pearls photographed in Chile during a total solar eclipse in 2019.
THE DIAMOND RING
Another of the most anticipated moments during the total solar eclipse is the appearance of the Diamond Ring, a phenomenon that occurs just before totality, when the Moon moves in such a way that it almost completely covers the solar disk. In those moments, what remains visible in the sky is just a luminous flashwhich resembles a sparkling diamond ring surrounding the dark silhouette of the Moon.
This fascinating phenomenon is based on the refraction of sunlight through the geographical and topographical characteristics of the Moon. Thus, as it approaches its central position of totality, the last rays of sunlight filter and appear to curve as they pass through valleys, mountains and lunar craters.
Why will the Large Hadron Collider operate during the eclipse?
The final effect is that of a luminous ring that surrounds the silhouette of the Moon, usually highlighted by a central point of light, which is known as the “diamante” of the Diamond Ring and whose intense brilliance is the result of sunlight concentrated and refracted through a single point.
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Diamond ring of a total solar eclipse, highlighting “the diamond” in the upper left.
SUN SPOTS
Finally, the so-called Sun Spots are another of the phenomena identifiable during the eclipse and one of those that best act as a window to the internal dynamics of the Sun and to the phenomena that take place on its surface.
The next total solar eclipse will be partially visible from Spain
In astronomy, sunspots are known as those temporary regions of the photosphere – the area of a star’s atmosphere from which solar radiation comes – that appear as dark areas when observing the surface of the Sun. These are spots that appear as result of intense magnetic activities and that indicate areas where the solar magnetic field is extremely strong.
iStock
Sunspots photographed on the Sun
Although they are observable under normal conditions, during an eclipse, when the Moon blocks direct light from the Sun, Sunspots become visible with a contrast enormous, being easily identified and observed using a telescope and conventional solar filters. This offers a unique opportunity for anyone who wants to observe the Sun in all its splendor without the need for specialized tools or access to professional telescopes.
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