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A Celestial Diamond Ring: Nature’s Gift to Humanity

Jefferson City Totality Eclipse
A radiant “diamond” of sunlight is seen in the moments after totality during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017 in Jefferson City, Missouri.

A radiant “diamond” of sunlight is seen in the moments after totality during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. The effect is seen in the few seconds just before and after totality when there is a single point of sunlight shining through a valley on the moon. In this image, from Jefferson City, Missouri, the sun’s corona creates a brilliant halo and forms a ring of light around the edge of the moon.

A total solar eclipse swept across a 70-mile-wide path of the continental United States for the first time in 99 years. During the rare celestial event, the moon’s shadow moved from west to east creating a diagonal path of totality in 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina. Spectators along the path of totality experienced more than 2 minutes of twilight in the middle of the day. Observers in the remainder of North America, and parts of South America, Africa and Europe saw a partial solar eclipse where the moon covered part of the sun’s disk.

Image Credits: NASA/Rami Daud, Alcyon Technical Services

Credits: “Total Solar Eclipse 2012 Education Resources.” Total Solar Eclipse 2012 Education Resources. Astronomical Association of Queensland; Science Teachers Association of Queensland, 2012. Web.