Next August 12 we will be able to enjoy the first of the 3 eclipses that make up the Iberian trio. many people they are preparing to travel to one of the places that are within the strip of totality. Those who have never seen a solar eclipse are divided into two groups: those who are going to let themselves flow, without expecting anything specific, and those who are studying everything about this astronomical event to know what they will find. If you are from the second group, you may have come here looking for information about Baily pearls. If you are the first or are reading this for any other reason, don’t miss it, as it is a very interesting phenomenon.
Pearls that decorate the Sun. We already know that a total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon, the Sun and the Earth align in such a way that the former prevents the Sun’s light from reaching our planet. Basically, the Moon covers the Sun. Baily pearls are some kind of shiny beads that form along the edge of the Moon when it begins to cover the Sun and just when it begins to let its light pass through again. Its appearance is due to the fact that the surface of the Moon is not smooth. It is covered with valleys, craters and other imperfections. Therefore, when sunlight filters through them, it does not arrive completely clean, but instead forms a kind of shiny balls. That’s what we see from Earth.
The origin of his name. Baily pearls are named after Francis Bailythe British astronomer who first described them in 1836, during an annular eclipse.
Why they are important during a solar eclipse. Beyond their attractiveness, Baily’s pearls are important because they indicate the beginning and end of totality. They appear when the Moon has covered a good part of the Sun, but they disappear just when it covers it completely, since no light from the sun reaches us. Then, as soon as it begins to appear again behind the Moon, the pearls are drawn around it again. .
During a solar eclipse, we can only look directly at the Sun without goggles during the entirety. With the slightest ray of sunlight that appears, our eyes are already at risk. Therefore, Baily pearls are a good indicator. It is true that there are places where they are even more imaginative, such as in the Navarrese town of Lerín, where They have created a bell ringing that indicates the different points of the eclipse. Observing Baily’s pearls can also be a good option, although, when in doubt, it is better to use the glasses for as long as possible.
Other eclipses. Baily pearls also appear in annular solar eclipses, just when that characteristic ring of fire forms with the Moon in the middle. Therefore, we will be able to see them during the three eclipses of the Iberian trio. The first two will be total and the third will be annular.
Image | CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/D. Munizaga | Brucewaters
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