White-Light Coronal Imaging at the 21 August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse

Abstract

We describe the solar corona as imaged in the 21 August 2017 total solar eclipse from sites in Oregon and Illinois, USA separated by nearly one hour. Our composite images, each made from dozens of individual frames, show helmet streamers, nearly radially oriented narrow rays, and polar coronal holes filled with polar plumes. The Ludendorff flattening index of 0.24 is compared with measurements from the last two centuries. We discuss the most remarkable coronal dynamics detected over a nearly one-hour interval between the two observing sites.