Italian scientists will test new solar tool during total eclipse

On 12 August, a group of Italian scientists will conduct an experiment using a new instrument during a solar eclipse, scheduled to occur between 6.15pm and 8.08pm (local time). The event will be visible from Ireland, with Cork offering the best viewing conditions, with 96% of the sun expected to be covered at its peak. The team's 'Circular Slit Spectrometer,' funded by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, aims to capture the entire solar corona's spectrum in a single photograph, a feat not previously achievable.

This instrument boasts a circular slit that, when positioned at a specific distance from the sun's center, allows for the capture of the corona in a single photograph, unlike previous devices that took hours to scan it. The Italian scientists have traveled to Spain's Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory to set up the time-sensitive experiment, taking advantage of the eclipse's favorable conditions that highlight the solar corona.

The outer layer of the sun, visible during the eclipse, emits powerful coronal mass ejections and solar winds that significantly impact Earth's communication networks and power grids. The Italian team's principal investigator, Federico Landini, highlighted the device's advantage over previous tools that took longer to scan the corona, emphasizing that the experiment must be completed quickly due to the unpredictable nature of solar phenomena.