Most eclipse watchers believe this totality to be the most beautiful phase. The sun's corona, which is too light to be seen during the day normally, flashes around the sun. Pearl white streamers blaze around the moon. Bursts of red, called Prominences, may be seen shooting out from the sun's surface. Because this solar eclipse is taking place during a year when there are many sunspots, there should be even more flares of red than usual during an eclipse.
Most people watch only the magnificent show of the corona and the flares.
However, the darkened sky allows stars to be seen and perhaps meteors. This phase will last 2 minutes and 22 seconds for this eclipse. When the Chromosphere and the Diamond ring appear on the other side of the Sun, it is called Third Contact. As the Moon moves away, Bailey's Beads may be briefly seen again and then the total eclipse is over. The partial phase lasts a long time.