Abstract:
The objective of this project was to take intensity and polarization measurements of extended solar coronal streamers, from a height of 75,000 to 80,000 feet above the ground. Hitherto, no observations have been made of the total solar eclipse from such a height. As the scattered light in the lower atmosphere, due to the dust particles, decreases exponentially, it was expected that we could observe the extended coronal streamers, up to 12-15 solar radii from such heights. For these observations, a 70mm format Hassel lad camera with f/3.5 and f=100 mm lens was mounted on the desk board in the cockpit of MiG-25 trainer airplane of the Indian Air force.
