Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Chasing the Shadows of Solar Eclipses

Total solar eclipses are among the most spectacular astronomical phenomena observable with the naked eye. They also provide rare opportunities to study the Sun’s million-degree atmosphere — the solar corona. Two innovative experiments were conducted during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024: flying telescopes in NASA’s WB-57 high-altitude jets at 50,000 feet and deploying dozens of ground-based telescopes operated by teams of amateur community participants all along the eclipse path. Dr. Caspi Amir with the Southwest Research Institute discusses these two groundbreaking experiments and the surprising science of the Sun and solar corona.