Explanation:
Cloudy skies over Wuhan, China hid the delicate
solar corona during July's
total eclipse
of the Sun.
Still, the Moon's silhouette was highlighted
by these glistening diamonds as the total eclipse phase
ended.
Caused by bright sunlight streaming through dips and
valleys in the irregular terrain along the Moon's edge,
the effect is known as Baily's Beads,
named after Francis Baily who called attention to the
phenomenon in 1836.
The dramatic appearance of the beads at the beginning or
end of a total solar eclipse is also known as the Diamond Ring effect.
In this remarkable image, a small,
pinkish solar prominence can
also be seen along the edge, below the diamonds.
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