<p>That would have been the so called 'solar prominences' i.e. eruptions of plasma on the surface of the Sun (see <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/next-months-total-solar-eclipse-could-come-with-bright-pink-streamers-73585" rel="noreferrer">https://www.iflscience.com/next-months-total-solar-eclipse-could-come-with-bright-pink-streamers-73585</a> ). They are not always visible during an eclipse, but at times of high solar activity they can be seen, and we are practically at the maximum of the 11-year solar activity cycle. I could see them on the TV pictures as well.</p>
<p>The red/pink colour of the prominences is due to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha" rel="noreferrer">H-<span class="math-container">$\alpha $</span>- transition of atomic hydrogen</a> . Many astronomical deep space objects show this red colour typical for a a hot low density hydrogen gas,</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-09T23:51:46.597Z
If I am not mistaken, that color is also close to where the sensitivity of a typical camera sensor peaks, which would exaggerate / over-emphasize the prominences and their color.
Jörg W Mittag
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-10T01:10:11.967Z
@JörgWMittag, Some of us saw a bright red (not pink) spot with our naked eyes.
Solomon Slow
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-10T06:58:26.487Z
I remember seeing pink edges during the 1999 eclipse. Here's a photo on wikimedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_eclipse_1999_4.jpg
molnarm
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-08T21:59:00.637Z
2024-04-08T22:31:59.150Z
2024-04-08T22:31:59.150Z
Thomas
<p>During the solar eclipse totality, I noticed pink lights on the rim around the moon.  In a telescope, they were obviously flare like.  Id like to know what causes them to have that color.  Not knowing the proper terms, I have not been able to make much progress researching them.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-09T22:21:57.590Z
thanks for asking!  Saw a couple very prominent even just naked eye.  So great!
Mike M
<the-sun><solar-eclipse>
What caused pink flares during the eclipse
Cort Ammon
# What caused pink flares during the eclipse

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-08)

During the solar eclipse totality, I noticed pink lights on the rim around the moon. In a telescope, they were obviously flare like. Id like to know what causes them to have that color. Not knowing the proper terms, I have not been able to make much progress researching them.

**Tags:** the-sun, solar-eclipse

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: thanks for asking!  Saw a couple very prominent even just naked eye.  So great!  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-04-08. Score: 26 | Accepted answer

That would have been the so called 'solar prominences' i.e. eruptions of plasma on the surface of the Sun (see <https://www.iflscience.com/next-months-total-solar-eclipse-could-come-with-bright-pink-streamers-73585> ). They are not always visible during an eclipse, but at times of high solar activity they can be seen, and we are practically at the maximum of the 11-year solar activity cycle. I could see them on the TV pictures as well.

The red/pink colour of the prominences is due to the [H-$\alpha $- transition of atomic hydrogen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha) . Many astronomical deep space objects show this red colour typical for a a hot low density hydrogen gas,

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: If I am not mistaken, that color is also close to where the sensitivity of a typical camera sensor peaks, which would exaggerate / over-emphasize the prominences and their color.  
> **username_4**: @username_3, Some of us saw a bright red (not pink) spot with our naked eyes.  
> **username_5**: I remember seeing pink edges during the 1999 eclipse. Here's a photo on wikimedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_eclipse_1999_4.jpg  

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