On April 8th, the moon will temporarily block the sun’s light for millions across North America, creating a total solar eclipse. But for NASA, this celestial event is prime time for scientific exploration, as reported by CNN.
This eclipse presents a unique opportunity to study the sun and Earth’s atmosphere in ways impossible without the moon’s temporary blackout. To capitalise on this fleeting window, NASA is deploying an impressive arsenal: sounding rockets and WB-57 high-altitude research planes.
Citizen Scientists Take Flight
While NASA’s WB-57 planes, each piloted by a single daredevil with an instrument specialist in tow, soar through the stratosphere, citizen scientists on the ground will be playing a crucial role, CNN reported. Equipped with thermometers and cameras, these enthusiastic observers will be collecting vital data on air temperature and cloud formations.
“The data they collect will aid researchers who are investigating how the Sun influences climates in different environments on Earth!” says Ashlee Autore, a data scientist at NASA Langley Research Centre. “[Citizen science] allows people to make the observations, and they can move,” she adds, highlighting the unique advantage of having a massive network of observers spread across the eclipse path.
Building on Past Eclipses, Reaching for New Discoveries
The 2024 eclipse follows in the footsteps of the “Great American Eclipse” of 2017, which provided invaluable data for predicting the sun’s corona, its scorching outer atmosphere, during subsequent eclipses. The corona, normally outshined by the sun’s brilliance, becomes visible as a halo during a total eclipse.
Unlike the previous eclipses, which occurred during a quieter solar period, the sun is currently at its peak activity cycle, offering scientists a rare opportunity to make groundbreaking discoveries about our corner of the universe. The combined efforts of citizen scientists and NASA’s researchers during this eclipse have the potential to revolutionise our understanding of the sun and its impact on Earth.
