"NASA Jet Planes Aid Scientists in Total Solar Eclipse Study"
NASA-funded teams are preparing to study the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse using WB-57 jet planes, with two teams focusing on imaging the Sun's corona and a third measuring the ionosphere. The eclipse provides a unique opportunity to study the Sun's outer atmosphere and its effects on Earth's atmosphere, potentially leading to new scientific discoveries. The high-altitude flights will allow for extended observation time and the capture of wavelengths not visible from the ground, aiming to improve understanding of the corona's structure and temperature, as well as the impact of solar radiation on the ionosphere.