Why is the solar corona not seen exactly at the instant of total eclipse?

I am not at all familiar with this phenomenon. It seems to conflict with common sense. The corona of the Sun is very faint, and its best, optimum visibility always happens exactly at the time when the Moon exactly covers the Sun's disk. Does anyone else know anything about this kind of 'optical illusion'?


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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