Explanation:
During
a total solar eclipse,
the
Sun's extensive outer atmosphere or corona
is an awesome
and inspirational sight.
The subtle shades and shimmering features of the corona
that
engage the eye span a brightness range of over
10,000 to 1, making them notoriously difficult to
capture in a single picture.
But this composite of 33 digital images
ranging in exposure time from 1/8000 to 1/5 second
comes very close to
revealing the crown of the Sun in all its glory.
The
telescopic views were recorded from Side, Turkey during
the March 29 solar eclipse,
a geocentric
celestial
event that was
widely seen
under
nearly
ideal conditions.
The composite also captures a pinkish prominence extending
just beyond the upper edge of the
eclipsed
sun.
Lecture: APOD editor to give public talk in Princeton on April 11