First Radio Telescope Images Capture the 'Ring of Fire' Effect in Annular Solar Eclipse, Defying Expectations

In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists from the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (NJIT-CSTR) have captured the annular solar eclipse on October 14 in an unprecedented manner.

They successfully recorded the renowned "ring of fire" effect during the eclipse, marking the first instance of radio imaging for such an event. Radio astronomers located in California managed to capture images of the sun's extremely hot corona during a partial solar eclipse on the same date, a pioneering feat in scientific observation.

First Radio Telescope Image of the 'Ring of Fire'

Despite being positioned outside the central path of the annular solar eclipse last month, scientists managed to record the first radio telescope images of the renowned "ring of fire" effect. This extraordinary celestial event graced a 125-mile-wide area encompassing nine U.S. states.

However, the Owens Valley Radio Observatory in Big Pine, California, was not situated within this path, affording them only an 80.5% partial view of the eclipse. Nevertheless, their radio imaging technique enabled them to observe the "ring of fire" by detecting the sun's corona, its super-hot outer atmosphere, which was invisible to traditional eclipse viewers.

Bin Chen, an associate professor of physics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (NJIT-CSTR), led the observations alongside colleagues and noted the significance of their achievement. They conducted radio astronomy, which involves studying celestial objects at radio frequencies that are invisible to the human eye.

The OVRO-LWA (Owens Valley Radio Observatory Long Wavelength Array) was instrumental in this effort due to its proximity to the eclipse path, equipped with 352 antennas capable of sampling numerous radio wavelengths simultaneously. The unique opportunity allowed for the study of the sun's extended corona.

Dale Gary, a professor of physics at NJIT-CSTR and co-investigator on the OVRO-LWA project, expressed his awe at the quality of the radio imaging and highlighted that the corona is typically observable from the ground only during a total eclipse. The success of this endeavor was attributed to OVRO-LWA's constant capability to monitor the solar corona.

The annular solar eclipse on October 14 was also witnessed in parts of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil. The next solar eclipse visible from North America is anticipated to be a total eclipse crossing from the southwest to the northeast on April 8, 2024.

What Is Radio Astronomy?

Radio astronomy plays a vital role in revealing the hidden aspects of the universe, allowing astronomers to study celestial objects and phenomena that emit radio waves.

These radiowaves are distinct from visible light and provide unique insights into the cosmos. Radio emissions vary based on the nature of the object, offering a comprehensive understanding of distant entities like quasars, planets, and galaxies.

Radio astronomers use diverse instruments, including large antennas resembling satellite TV dishes, and often link multiple dishes to create expansive arrays that capture detailed radio images of distant subjects.

Although radio telescopes don't capture traditional visual images, the radio signals they detect are processed into data that can be used to generate images. These data streams are processed through supercomputers, enabling the creation of images that represent characteristics such as temperature, density, and radio emissions strength, making radio objects visible to scientists and the public.

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