Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
Total eclipse promises celestial show with streamers, loops and a possible comet

Total eclipse promises celestial show with streamers, loops and a possible comet

CTV
Thursday, March 21, 2024 11:14 AM GMT

A total solar eclipse is a rare celestial event that always generates excitement, but next month's version is expected to be unusually spectacular.

A total solar eclipse is a rare celestial event that always generates excitement, but next month's version is expected to be unusually spectacular.

The April 8 eclipse that will occur over a large swath of North America, following a path that takes in parts of southern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, comes as the sun's magnetic activity is at the peak of an 11-year cycle. That means that during the brief period when the moon totally covers the sun, a show of streamers and magnetic loops will dance around the obscured sun.

Paul Bryans, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, said that during times of low activity, the sun's corona — the tendrils of light that show the outer limits of the sun's energetic atmosphere — is homogeneous and symmetrical. But this year, he said, the heightened magnetism will make the sun's outer edges spiky like a hedgehog with its quills raised.

"So you have got lots of spikes and activity coming up in different places, and it's hard to really predict exactly where they will be," Bryans said. "But if you're looking at the eclipse, you wouldn't see a nice, smooth corona. You'll see, oh, jagged hedgehog in fear."

Normally, the blinding brightness of the sun means the activity cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the eclipse provides an opportunity to see the shards of light shooting out from the darkened sun. Experts warn that eye damage can result if you look directly at the sun, even during a partial eclipse, without protective eclipse glasses. When the moon completely blocks the sun, however, glasses can be removed to observe the sun's whitish corona.

In addition to causing the spikes, or streamers, the heightened magnetic activity means the sun will have features known as prominences, which Bryans described as looking like loops attached to the corona and held in suspension.

These prominences occur because the sun's magnetic activity is uneven across its surface. There are areas where the magnetic field is extremely high, causing eruptions so powerful that they can be felt on Earth in the form of interference in satellite communication or cellphone signals, Bryans said.

Read full story on CTV
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us