A total solar eclipse offers a unique opportunity to see the corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. It’s not usually visible because the surface of the sun is much brighter, but with the moon blocking it during totality, the outer edge shines through.
Compared to the 2017 solar eclipse, the sun’s corona will be more active this year, according to NASA. That means there’s a better chance to see prominence — curls, loops and flares coming off of the sun from behind the moon.
This is because the sun was in a solar minimum cycle in 2017, meaning it was more magnetically balanced. In April 2024, the sun will be reaching its peak of solar maximum, known as Solar Cycle 25. Lucky for eclipse-watchers on Monday, Solar Cycle 25 is expected to put on a show.
The cycle has already been full of activity, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The increased animation has included strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or large clouds of ionized gas called plasma and magnetic fields that erupt from the sun’s outer atmosphere.
How it works: The gases in the sun are constantly moving. This causes the sun’s magnetic fields to stretch, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center says. During every cycle, the magnetic field flips. When the magnetic fields change, so does the amount of activity on the surface of the sun, according to the agency.
