New solar instrument faces decisive test during Spain’s total eclipse

Italian scientists are preparing to test a new instrument designed to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere during the total solar eclipse on August 12.

The Circular Slit Spectrometer will be operated at Spain’s Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory. Its circular opening is intended to record the spectrum of the entire corona at a chosen distance from the Sun’s centre in a single photograph.

Conventional linear spectrometers can require hours to scan the corona line by line, even though the region may change within minutes. The team hopes the new optical design can capture the information fast enough to follow those changes.

If the 2.5-year project succeeds during the brief period of totality, the principle could later be used on a space mission. Scientists study the corona partly because solar activity can affect communications networks and power grids on Earth.