Polarization of the Corona Observed During the 2017 and 2019 Total Solar Eclipses

Abstract

We carried out polarimetric observations of the white-light corona during the total solar eclipses that occurred on August 21, 2017, and July 2, 2019, and successfully obtained data at two different sites for both eclipses. After eliminating the sky background, we derived the brightness, polarization brightness, and degree of polarization of the K+F corona from just above the limb to approximately 4 R_⊙. Furthermore, we isolated the K- and F-coronas with a plausible degree of polarization of the K-corona. The field of view covering up to approximately 4 R_⊙ enabled us to compare the derived brightness and polarization with a wide range of other observations. The results of the comparison show significant scatter; while some of the observations present very good coincidence with our results, others exhibit systematic discrepancy.