Invaluable insights await total solar eclipse
When a rare total solar eclipse sweeps across North America on Monday, scientists will be able to gather invaluable data on everything from the Sun's atmosphere to strange animal behaviors -- and even possible effects on humans. (Photo/Agencies)
Total solar eclipses' scientific value
Total solar eclipses offer "incredible scientific opportunities," Nasa Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy told a press conference this week about the celestial event. (Photo/Agencies)
Sun's atmosphere
When the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun and blocks it, the elusive outermost edge of the Sun's atmosphere, or corona, will be visible "in a very special way," Melroy said. The heat within the corona intensifies with distance from the Sun's surface -- a counterintuitive phenomenon that scientists struggle to fully comprehend or explain. (Photo/Agencies)
Eclipse offers clear view of corona's activity
During an eclipse, the bottom most part of the corona -- where a lot of this activity occurs -- is more clearly visible than when using specialized instruments to block the central part of the Sun, offering a golden opportunity for study. (Photo/Agencies)
Eclipse presents opportunity to study ionosphere
The total eclipse also will afford scientists a chance to study changes in part of the Earth's upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere, important because it affects radio waves used for communication and navigation. (Photo/Agencies)
Animal behaviors
Startling animal behavior has been noted during eclipses: Giraffes have been seen galloping, while roosters and crickets can start crowing and chirping. Beyond the drop in sunlight, temperatures and wind -- conditions to which animals are sensitive -- can also decrease significantly during an eclipse. (Photo/Agencies)
Human wonder
Eclipses have a special power. They move people to feel a kind of reverence for the beauty of our universe. Researchers studied this feeling of awe in 2017, using data from nearly three million users of Twitter, now called X. (Photo/Agencies)
Citizen scientists
About 40 citizen science projects are planned around the eclipse, from using a phone app to register the temperature and cloud cover to recording ambient noise during the event. (Photo/Agencies)
Start a Conversation
Post comment