The Indian Institute of Astrophysics will set up a camp at Anji in China to conduct experiments on July 22, when a total solar eclipse will occur informed Professor Siraj Hasan, director of Bangalore based IIA.
The camp is being set up to study the existence of waves in the solar corona, their nature and also to find out as to why the corona is so hot."In the eclipse we get a rare chance to observe the solar corona when the intense light of the photosphere, the visible surface of the Sun which is one million times brighter than the corona, is blocked out for a short while by the moon. Though the surface of the Sun is 5000 degree Celsius, the corona is an atmosphere of hot ionized gas at 2 million degrees. Our aim is to study the existence of waves in the solar corona, the nature and why the temperature of the Sun's outer layer is higher than that of its surface," Hasan also said.
A six-member-IIA team led by Hasan will be stationed in Anji, China to observe the eclipse as the chances of viewing the eclipse are about 60 per cent and where the duration of the eclipse will be for about 5.38 minutes, unlike in India where the eclipse will only be partial. Another team comprising three scientists from IIA will be in Patna to
observe the eclipse.
