During the total solar eclipse on April 8, fiery pink towers erupted from the sun, catching the attention of skywatchers. But what exactly are these stunning phenomena?
What it is: Towers of plasma (pink) erupting from the sun during a total solar eclipse Where it is: Approximately 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) above Dallas When it was taken: April 8, 2024
Why it’s special: The rare total solar eclipse on April 8 brought surreal darkness to parts of North America as Earth, the moon, and the sun aligned. Photographer Keegan Barber, working with NASA, captured the moment of totality over Texas, revealing the sun’s elusive outer atmosphere.
In this striking image, the moon fully obscures the sun’s bright face, exposing its outer layers: the white corona and the reddish-pink chromosphere. These layers, normally invisible, extend into the darkness during an eclipse.
Many photos of the eclipse have circulated, but this image stands out with its field of pink structures resembling cherry blossoms. These are not solar flares, as some have speculated, but rather solar prominences. These large towers of plasma leap out of the sun’s surface, anchored for weeks or months at a time.
The fact that we can see these prominences from nearly 100 million miles away speaks to their incredible size. Some tower taller than the diameter of our planet, with a pinkish hue resulting from hydrogen emissions.
Despite their grandeur, these prominences are distinct from solar flares, which shoot off into space within seconds.
As we marvel at these cosmic phenomena, we’re reminded of the vast scale and beauty of our solar system.