NASA funds these research projects to be conducted during the eclipse

Amber Coakley
·2 min read

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — It’s almost go-time for celestial dwellers who are ready to have their eyes on the sky for the April 8 solar eclipse.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is also gearing up for the rare event. In fact, NASA has funded several research projects the will be conducted during the sun blocking moments to come.

Here’s a breakdown of some of those projects and why they are of significance:

— Chasing the eclipse with NASA’s high-altitude research planes

According to NASA, these research planes will capture images of the eclipse from an altitude of 50,000 feet above the Earth’s surface. The photos will be taken with a camera that images in infrared and visible light at high resolution and high speed.

This project could help researchers study a dust ring around the Sun, as well as search for asteroids that may orbit near the Sun, according to NASA.

Additionally, NASA said the research jets will carry instruments that can help learn more about the temperature and chemical composition of the corona and coronal mass ejections, or large bursts of solar material.

Lastly, the charged layer of Earth’s upper atmosphere — called the ionosphere — will be studied from NASA’s research planes. “The ionosphere is affected by the Sun’s radiation and the eclipse serves as a chance to study their connection in a controlled manner,” NASA explained. Put simply, this project is meant to measure how charged the ionosphere is.

— The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network

Also called SuperDarn, this refers to a collection of radars located at sites around the world. As explained by NASA, the darkest part of this eclipse’s shadow passes across several locations equipped with these.

SuperDarn monitors space weather conditions in upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. The eclipse, according to NASA, offers a unique opportunity to study the impact of solar radiation on those layers during the celestial event.

The ionosphere will, again, be studied during this project as well. Researchers are aiming to see exactly how the ionosphere reacts to a solar eclipse.

— Sounding Rockets

On Monday during the eclipse, NASA will launch three rockets to study how the sudden drop in sunlight affects the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

The rockets will hit the skies from Daytona Beach, Florida. NASA said one will launch about 35 minutes before the local peak eclipse, one during the peak eclipse, and one 35 minutes after.

Four small scientific instruments will be deployed with each rocket. NASA said they will measure changes in electric and magnetic fields, density, as well as temperature. The purpose is to find out how widespread the effects of the eclipse are.

Trying to figure out what time is the eclipse will happen where you are? Check out NASA’s Eclipse Explorer page for an interactive map. Don’t forget your safety glasses!

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