article_snippet: But by observing the atmosphere of the sun around the eclipse, astronomers will be hoping to solve this mystery once and for all.
article_snippet: Using an array of instruments they studied the sun's corona, plasma around the sun that can only be seen during a total eclipse.
article_snippet: they hope to work out why the sun's corona, plasma around the sun that can only be seen during a total eclipse is 300 times hotter than the surface .
article_snippet: A total solar eclipse is the only time that the entire atmosphere of the sun can be observed.
article_snippet: The plasma of the sun is only visible during a total eclipse, so the scientists will use this unique opportunity to try and solve the puzzling phenomena.
article_snippet: Some Nasa spacecraft have a ‘coronograph’ on board, which lets them block part of the sun and create an artificial eclipse, but the effect pales in comparison to viewing the atmosphere of the sun around the moon.
article_snippet: Shown is an image of 1999's solar elcipse from France, with the corona visible around the edges .
article_snippet: Up to 14 specially adapted cameras were used to photograph the sun in different frequencies during the eclipse, capturing images of the plasma from the corona.
article_snippet: Data and images taken during the eclipse will be used to try and develop a mathematical model to understand this difference in temperature. '
article_snippet: ’s corona is one of the great mysteries of astronomy,’ said Dr Huw Morgan, a Reader at the Solar System Physics Group at Aberystwyth University, who is overseeing the team’s work from the UK.
article_snippet: A total eclipse gives us an unique opportunity to measure the corona of the sun is so much detail and collect data that will enable us to better understand this difference.'
article_snippet: He also added that studying ’s corona could help protect satellite-based communication systems from solar storms, which can be affected by coronal mass ejections - huge eruptions of material - from the sun.
highlights_snippet: studied the sun's corona, plasma around the sun that can only be seen during a total eclipse .
  
highlights_snippet: hope to work out why the sun's corona, plasma around the sun that can only be seen during a total eclipse is 300 times hotter than the surface, something that remains a mystery .
  