For most of human history, a total solar eclipse was terrifying — the sun devoured, day becoming night, the world gone wrong.
Now we know the mechanics: the moon passing between Earth and sun, a perfect alignment of cosmic geometry. But knowing doesn't diminish the awe.
The corona — the sun's outer atmosphere — is invisible until totality. Only when the photosphere is blocked can we see what was always there.
Click to begin the eclipse. Drag to adjust speed. Watch for Baily's beads at the edges.