Understanding The Red Objects Seen During Total Solar Eclipse

• Prominences, not solar flares, were observed during the recent total solar eclipse.

• Prominences are pinkish-red loops of plasma extending from the sun's surface.

• The triangular loop shape of prominences during the eclipse was not unusual.

Solar prominences are seen during a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Keegan Barber/NASA via AP)

AP

During the recent total solar eclipse, many observers were intrigued by the sight of red objects at the bottom of the moon. Contrary to social media speculation, these were not solar flares but rather prominences, a common phenomenon during total solar eclipses. Prominences are pinkish-red loops of plasma that extend from the sun's surface into space, visible around the moon's limb during totality.

Given the heightened magnetic activity of the sun during its solar cycle, prominences were expected to be visible during the eclipse. The triangular loop shape observed was not unusual and had been seen during previous total solar eclipses as well.

It is important to note that solar flares, which are bursts of radiation from the sun, did not occur during the eclipse. Solar flares can lead to coronal mass ejections and auroras on Earth, but there were no such events during this particular eclipse.

While prominences can only be seen during totality without specialized equipment, sunspots on the sun's surface can be observed using eclipse glasses on any sunny day. Sunspots are dark areas on the sun's surface that are currently quite common, with two visible during the partial phases of the recent eclipse.

The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. is scheduled for March 30, 2033, in Alaska. Until then, enthusiasts are encouraged to observe sunspots and other solar phenomena with caution and enjoy the wonders of the universe.