A Golden Corona Over Spain: Scientists Unpack the Reasons

Smoke and Sunset: What Turned the Corona Gold

According to НВ — Техно: When the total solar eclipse swept across Spain on August 12, the Sun's corona glowed with an unexpectedly brilliant golden color. The unusual sight came about because the moment of totality coincided with the Sun sitting low near the horizon at sunset, giving the corona a distinctly warm tint. Normally, the corona appears pale or silvery during eclipses, but this time several factors combined to produce the golden hue.

The Factors Behind the Unusual Shade

• First, shorter wavelengths of light were scattered by the thicker layer of atmosphere, leaving predominantly warm orange tones in the spectrum.
• Second, smoke from the wildfires then burning across Spain served as an extra filter, suppressing blue light and boosting the golden glow around the Moon's disk.

The heavy smoke in the air allowed observers to see the corona in a fresh and surprising form.

Astrophotographers from Benavente captured the event using high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging. In the composite image, a large prominence of glowing hydrogen on the Sun's left edge appears in its natural pink, standing out against the golden corona. The photograph was taken by Rui Santos (Living Impressions).

The full August 12 eclipse was visible in northern and central Spain, with partial phases observed in Portugal, Greenland, and Iceland. This rare astronomical event drew the attention of both scientists and numerous skywatchers eager to understand the corona's strange appearance. For English-speaking audiences, this episode highlights how Earth's local atmospheric conditions can dramatically affect what we see in the sky during major celestial events. The eclipse was also an important milestone for astronomers and the public alike, as such occurrences are uncommon and always spark widespread curiosity. The findings may lay the groundwork for future observations and for deeper study of atmospheric phenomena in astronomy.

To better understand the significance of this celestial phenomenon, it's worth exploring the rare total solar eclipse that occurred across Europe on the same date. This event not only captivated astronomers but also provided a unique opportunity to witness the complexities of solar eclipses, emphasizing how different atmospheric conditions can influence our observations.