Progression of total solar eclipse

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Diamond Ring, closeup

The corona starts to steal the show just moments before totality begins.

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Outer corona, Regulus, and Mercury

In this longer exposure, long coronal streamers become visible, along with the planet Mercury, a couple stars, and hints of detail on the Moon's surface, dimly illuminated by sunlight back from the Earth.

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Falls Park on the Reedy during totality

Thousands of spectators look up from the banks of the Reedy River and along Liberty Bridge to enjoy totality.

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Inner corona

A short exposure captures detail in the inner corona, the brightest part that is closest to the Sun's surface.

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Middle corona

The corona becomes progressively dimmer as it extends farther from the Sun, so a slightly longer exposure reveals more of the star's atmosphere extending deeper into space.

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Full corona

The Sun's pearly-white corona, normally hidden from view by the blinding light of the star itself, is seen stretching out in spikes and streamers in this longer exposure sufficient to fill the field of view with detail.

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Solar prominences

Towering loops of cool, dense plasma rise into the Sun's atmosphere, visible to Earth observers as pink flames around the periphery of the Moon's limb.

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Total eclipse, wide field

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Second Diamond Ring

After what seemed like an instant, the Sun began to reemerge in a brilliant flash of light along the upper-right quadrant of the Moon's disc. Solar prominences and the inner corona will remain visible for a few more seconds.

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Partial eclipse with sunspots

While the main show was now over and most people had already turned their attention elsewhere, the final stages of the partial eclipse remained an impressive sight, with dark sunspots reappearing one by one.

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