Rockets and planes chase the solar eclipse
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Pilots chased a solar eclipse on Monday. This happened while millions of people in North America gazed into the sky to glimpse a rare celestial event – a total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to block the view of the sun. NASA sent high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instruments to gather information from the solar event. Pilots flew 15,240 meters high to get a view of the corona – the sun's outer surface. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to find out about some of the sun's mysteries.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the sun. This celestial event momentarily turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona is a million times dimmer than the sun. This makes it easier for scientists to study the sun. A solar astrophysicist explained that: "Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in ways that just would not be possible at any other time." Solar eclipses often have confusing effects in nature. They briefly wake up nocturnal animals, and make birds and insects fall silent. Motorists should also slow down as visibility can change.
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