PROJECT NAME
Eclipse2024
SHORT DESCRIPTION
The Turin Astrophysical Observatory of the National Institute of Astrophysics (OATo-INAF) is organizing a campaign for the observation in Torreon, Mexico, of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Eclipses represent a unique opportunity for investigating the physics of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. This is formed by magnetized plasma where solar wind and coronal mass ejections originate. The scientific expedition will bring 3 instruments: a telescope for the observation of the polarized K corona (E-KPol) and two telescopes for the spectro-polarimetric observations of the Fe XIV coronal lines at 530.3 nm (the “green line”) and He I D3 at 587.6 nm (E-CorMag and Strato-CorMag). The measurements that will be acquired during the eclipse (some never done before) offer a unique opportunity to analyze the physical parameters of the coronal structures, and in particular to study the coronal magnetic field very close to the solar limb. During the eclipse, a joint observational campaign is planned involving other instruments from Earth and space coordinated by the network Whole Heliosphere and Planetary Interactions (WHPI).
ROLE
The project is coordinated and developed by OATo-INAF with the participation of European Space Agency personnel, with the technical/logistical support of the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) and with the technical support of the University of Florence.
TIMELINE
The project, also financed thanks to a mini-grant from INAF 2023, began in October 2023 with the design of a new telescope (E-CorMag), which is being integrated and developed (together with the other 2 instruments) for the test campaign scheduled in February 2024 (coinciding with the full moon). The instruments will be shipped in March to the observation site (Torreon, Mexico) and set up on site from April 3. The observation of the total solar eclipse will be on April 8, 2024 with maximum totality at 1.16 pm in Mexico which corresponds to 8.16 pm in Italy.
WEB SITE
CONTACTS
Lucia Abbo Email: lucia.abbo at inaf.it
Gerardo Capobianco Email: gerardo.capobianco at inaf.it
Silvano Fineschi Email: silvano.fineschi at inaf.it
TEAM: Abbo, G. Bergamin, D. Bonino, P. Calcidese, G. Capobianco, V. Caracci, J.M. Christille, S. Fineschi, H. Haudemand, A. Liberatore, D. Loreggia, M. Pancrazzi, L. Zangrilli, J. Zender
