Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 August 17
   [2]A total eclipse Sun is featured in the image center. Around the Sun
   is a filamentary gold-hued corona flowing out in all directions. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

                           A Golden Corona Eclipse
       Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Rui Santos ([4]Living Impressions)

   Explanation: This total solar eclipse appeared not only poetically
   beautiful but scientifically interesting. Usually the [5]solar corona
   appears white, and to some observers the corona of last week's total
   solar eclipse did appear [6]this pearly color. But this time, totality
   observers in Spain saw a corona that appeared unusually golden. For one
   reason, from [7]Spain, the totality occurred when the setting Sun was
   near the horizon. That low, sunlight travels through a large amount of
   [8]air which scatters out blue light. An unusual amount of [9]smoke in
   the air from nearby [10]forest fires acted as a second filter,
   [11]further scattering the remaining blue tones and deepening the
   already gold-dominated [12]light. The [13]HDR-processed,
   multiple-exposure [14]featured image was captured from [15]Benavente,
   [16]Spain last week. One thing that did not appear golden was a
   [17]hydrogen-glowing [18]prominence that hovered over the [19]Sun's
   left edge -- its original [20]bright pink color survived.

                Gallery: [21]Solar Eclipse of 2026 August 12
                      Tomorrow's picture: fast meteors
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2608/GoldCorona_Santos_1751.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/living.impressions/
   4. https://livingimpressions.online/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230516.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260814.html
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain
   8. https://www.optics4kids.org/what-is-optics/scattering/why-is-the-sky-blue-why-are-sunsets-red
   9. https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1215895183/photo/portrait-of-a-ginger-cat-the-cat-in-the-medical-face-mask-outdoors-medical-concept.jpg
  10. https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@-5.9,35.0,3.1z
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260730.html
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight/
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range
  14. https://www.instagram.com/p/Db_yz70jS86/
  15. https://youtu.be/GqtSSkrpk6E
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230801.html
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170912.html
  21. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1048378671224043&type=3
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260816.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260817
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260818.html
  33. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  34. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  35. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/