Summary
Scientists and students at the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India at IISER Kolkata are particularly excited about this eclipse because they have a long tradition of predicting the faint and extended coronal structures that reveal themselves during a total solar eclipse and they are out with a prediction this time as well
Reliable computer models of the magnetic fields in the Sun’s outer atmosphere are important because magnetic storms and plasma winds that originate within these coronal magnetic fields can eventually find their way to the Earth and create adverse space weather
On April 8, 2024 the moon will align with the Sun and the Earth in such a way that it will completely block out the Sun’s bright disk. The phenomena known as a total solar eclipse will not be visible from India. But in the other side of the world, i.e. in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, millions are to witness this rare celestial spectacle.
Scientists and students at the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India at IISER Kolkata are particularly excited about this eclipse because they have a long tradition of predicting the faint and extended coronal structures that reveal themselves during a total solar eclipse and they are out with a prediction this time as well.
The IISER Kolkata team uses computer models of magnetic field evolution on the Sun’s surface and its outer atmosphere to create a map of the expected magnetic field distribution in the Sun’s corona prior to the eclipse.
It is this magnetism of the Sun that generates structures in the corona and by comparing the observed structures during an eclipse to their simulations; the scientists can test their theoretical models and improve them.
Reliable computer models of the magnetic fields in the Sun’s outer atmosphere are important because magnetic storms and plasma winds that originate within these coronal magnetic fields can eventually find their way to the Earth and create adverse space weather. Space weather in turn affects our orbiting satellites and space-reliant technologies such as GPS navigation and telecommunications systems.
The IISER Kolkata prediction for the Great American Eclipse of 8th April indicates an unusually complex and spectacular coronal structure which the scientists attribute to the Sun being near the peak of the 11 year sunspot cycle. Scientists and students have planned an eclipse watching session late in IISER campus at night where the Eclipse will be live-streamed from the US accompanied by scientific discussions.
The CESSI prediction for the solar eclipse, live stream links and other relevant information and updates are available at the website: http://www.cessi.in/solareclipse2024/.
Last updated on 08 Apr 2024
