NASA's Epic Chase: Witness the Great Solar Eclipse!

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On August 12, daylight will suddenly disappear across parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The Moon will move directly between Earth and the Sun, sending a massive shadow across Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and parts of the Arctic. But while millions watch from the ground, NASA will be racing through the sky. A WB-57 research jet will climb to approximately 50,000 feet and fly alongside the Moon’s shadow. Above most clouds and atmospheric distortion, scientists will study the Sun’s outer atmosphere—the corona—normally hidden by its blinding surface. NASA-funded teams will also launch eighty-six scientific balloons from Iceland and Spain. The balloons will carry cameras and instruments into the stratosphere to measure changes in the atmosphere, ozone, radio signals, and temperature as daylight suddenly turns to darkness. For several minutes, cities will dim. Streetlights may switch on. Temperatures will fall. And the horizon may glow like sunset in every direction. The eclipse is not dangerous when viewed with proper eye protection. But it offers scientists a rare opportunity to study what happens when the Sun’s energy is suddenly blocked. For a few minutes, the Moon will erase the Sun. And NASA will fly directly into the darkness.