What were the red bursts coming from behind the moon during the eclipse?

HAMDEN, Ohio (WJW) – Fox 8 News viewer Tina Wahl shared really neat photos of the total solar eclipse that show a red loop, almost bursting out from behind the moon. So we reached out to local Astronomer Jay Reynolds to explain what exactly we’re seeing.

“That red thing, which was so easily seen was called a solar prominence!” Jay told Fox 8 News. “Think of it more like a flame, but crazy big.”

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According to Reynolds, a solar prominence is a massive loop of the sun’s plasma. He said the sun has eruptions on its surface every day.

“The surface can be viewed almost like a pot of boiling water. It’s very violent,” Reynolds said. “Earth would be tiny next to it!”

According to Reynolds, a solar prominence can form in a single day and disappear the next, or it can even last a month.

“Think of it,” Reynolds said. “What we saw yesterday, could already be gone!”

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According to Reynolds, humans can only see these bursts of plasma during a total solar eclipse. But now, because of specialized telescopes, we can see them anytime with clear skies.

“By the way,” Reynolds said. “That particular prominence was unusually bright! We could have observed more, but the thin veil of clouds reduced that possibility.”

These specific photos of the total solar eclipse were taken by Fox 8 News viewer Tina Wahl’s husband Sean in Hamden using a Nikon p1000 camera.

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