Gorgeous Images of the Sun's Corona in Simulation

Magnetic field

solar eclipse

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

A new simulation predicts what the sun's corona will look like when the total eclipse occurs today (Aug. 21). Here, magnetic field lines emanating from the sun.

Solar crown

sun's corona simulation

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

The solar corona is made up of jets of plasma that spew millions of miles out into space. The new simulation uses data on the magnetic field at the surface of the sun from NASA's solar dynamics observatory, along with solar rotation maps and other data.

Jets of plasma

sun's corona

(Image credit: Predictive Science Inc.)

Here, a simulation of the total eclipse's likely effect on the solar corona.

Streaming out

sun's corona

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

The simulation will reveal how jets of plasma spew from the sun. Then, that data can be compared to data from jets that are snapping real photos of the corona during eclipse.

Space weather

total solar eclipse corona simulation

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

The simulation could help predict space weather, which has the potential to cause trillions of dollars in damage.

Solar simulation

solar corona

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

Here, more images from the simulation of the sun during the solar eclipse.

Field lines

solar corona

(Image credit: Predictive Science, Inc.)

A simulation of magnetic field lines shown as they emanate from the sun during the eclipse.

Tia Ghose
Managing Editor

Tia is the managing editor and was previously a senior writer for Live Science. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired.com and other outlets. She holds a master's degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington, a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Tia was part of a team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that published the Empty Cradles series on preterm births, which won multiple awards, including the 2012 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism.