Total eclipse promises celestial show with streamers, loops and a possible comet

A total solar eclipse is a rare celestial event that always generates excitement, but next month's version is expected to be unusually spectacular. The April 8 eclipse that will occur over a large swath of North America, following a path that takes in parts of southern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, comes as the sun's magnetic activity is at the peak of an 11-year cycle. That means that during the brief period when the moon totally covers the sun, a show of streamers and magnetic loops wil