Australian Totality | Space Wallpaper

Corona Composite of 2012: Australian Totality 1920
“Winner” of the “Our Solar System” category in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 exhibition, this space wallpaper gives the viewer a window onto the elusive outer atmosphere of the Sun — the corona. (Image credit: © Man-To Hui | The National Maritime Museum | Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 )

“Winner” of the “Our Solar System” category in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 exhibition, this space wallpaper gives the viewer a window onto the elusive outer atmosphere of the sun — the corona. The image is a demonstration of both precision timing and rigorous post-processing. A natural dimming of the Sun’s blinding brightness, courtesy of the moon, reveals the ghostly glow of gas that has a temperature of one million degrees Celsius. For centuries total solar eclipses were the only way to study this hidden treasure of the sun. By photographing this event, the breathtaking experience of viewing a total solar eclipse is captured indefinitely. This image was released Sept. 19, 2013.

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.