APOD: 2026 August 17 – A Golden Corona Eclipse
The post APOD: 2026 August 17 – A Golden Corona Eclipse appeared first on NASA Science .
On August 17, 2026, a total solar eclipse took place that was not only visually stunning but also scientifically intriguing. Typically, the solar corona appears white, but throughout this eclipse, observers in Spain witnessed a golden corona. The phenomenon occurred because the totality happened when the setting Sun was near the horizon, causing sunlight to travel through a large amount of Earth's atmosphere.
This atmospheric scattering scattered blue light out, leaving behind an unusual golden hue. Additionally, smoke from nearby forest fires served as a secondary filter, further scattering the remaining blue tones and enhancing the golden appearance of the corona. The image featured in this report, captured from Benavente, Spain, was created using a high dynamic range (HDR) processing technique and multiple exposures.
Despite the golden corona, a hydrogen-glowing prominence hovering near the Sun's left edge retained its original bright pink color.
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- APOD: 2026 August 17 – A Golden Corona Eclipse science.nasa.gov
