Revealed: Mysterious red dots during total solar eclipse – Times of India

During the remarkable total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, observers were treated to a spectacular celestial event adorned with striking ruby-colored prominences around the moon’s shadow. These prominences, noted for their vivid red hues, caught the attention of many who witnessed the event across various locations.
Lisa Upton, a solar scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, expressed her awe at the phenomenon, saying, “There was a very impressive prominence visible during this eclipse.Stunning to behold!! This was such a magnificent eclipse for anyone who was fortunate enough to see totality.”
A total solar eclipse provides a unique opportunity to view the sun’s atmosphere, or corona, which is typically obscured by the intense light from the sun’s surface. During the brief moments of totality, when the moon completely blocks the sun, the corona appears as a fiery white halo around the dark silhouette of the moon. This particular eclipse was even more significant as it coincided with the peak of the sun’s 11-year activity cycle, making the solar atmosphere especially intriguing to scientists.
According to a report in Scientific American, solar prominences are immense loops of plasma that emerge from the sun’s surface and can last for several months. These prominences appear red because they originate from the chromosphere, a layer of the sun’s atmosphere where hydrogen emits red light due to high temperatures. The distinct coloration of these prominences during the eclipse provided a dramatic visual contrast against the corona’s white glow.
Historically, prominences were first observed during eclipses in the 18th and 19th centuries, but were initially mistaken for lunar atmospheric phenomena. It is now understood that these features are solar in origin, with no involvement from the moon’s exceedingly thin atmosphere.
The recent eclipse also showcased other phenomena such as Baily’s beads—flashes of light seen at the beginning and end of totality, caused by sunlight filtering through the moon’s rugged landscape.
This eclipse not only offered a stunning visual display but also served as a valuable scientific opportunity to study the sun’s behavior at a crucial point in its cycle, providing insights that could enhance our understanding of solar dynamics.