Fact Check: This is NOT the real total solar eclipse, it's AI-generated

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On April 8 millions of people in North America witnessed a total solar eclipse, a rare celestial event that won't occur in the US until August 2044 again. In its aftermath, a stunning image allegedly showing this phenomenon made the rounds on social media.

The image shows the sun obscured by a dark circle, with Its outermost layer visible as a faint ring of light. The rest of the image shows silhouettes of trees against the bright sun. A Facebook user shared it and wrote, "Probably the best photo of total solar eclipse 2024." The archive of one such post can be seen here.

Many Threads users shared this image as well, claiming it was the April 8 total solar eclipse.

India Today found that this photo was generated using artificial intelligence.

Our Probe

Many people responded to the viral image claiming that it was AI-generated. To verify this, we ran the image through two AI-detection tools: Hive Moderatio and IsitAi. Both revealed that the image was AI-generated.

A reverse search of the photo also led us to the Instagram account "spacerocx" which shared it on April 9 with the caption, "Yesterday's Total Solar Eclipse according to AI."

The total solar eclipse was also livestreamed by NASA and while it was a spectacle on its own, it did not look like the viral photo. You can see the NASA livestream below.

What is a total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse is a phenomenon in which the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely blocking the former. When this happens, the sky darkens.

As per the US's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the next total solar eclipse will be visible from the Arctic, Eastern Greenland, Iceland, and Northern Spain, and is due to take place on August 12, 2026.

To sum up, an AI-generated photo is being shared as the April 8 total solar eclipse captured on camera.

Published By:

Sudeep Lavania

Published On:

Apr 16, 2024