High-Flying NASA Crews Ready for Up-Close View of Solar Eclipse
WASHINGTON — As millions of eager observers gear up to witness the upcoming American solar eclipse from the ground, a select group of lucky NASA flight crews are preparing for a much closer and unique experience.
On Monday, April 8, when a total solar eclipse sweeps across North America, an estimated 31 million people will be in its path, eagerly watching. Many more are expected to travel to witness the event, which will be visible across large portions of the US and Mexico.
However, despite meticulous planning, unpredictable weather can always throw a wrench into the best-laid plans, as evidenced by the August 1999 eclipse in the UK when clouds obscured the spectacle.
So, for those determined to ensure they catch a glimpse of a total solar eclipse, a rare event that occurs over a specific location once every 375 years on average, what’s the best course of action?
The answer: take to the skies and soar above the clouds.
That’s precisely what four NASA pilots will be doing as they fly two of the agency’s specialized WB-57 planes off the coast of Mexico.
Following the path of totality — where complete darkness reigns — from southwest to northeast, the crews will stay within the shadow cast as the moon passes in front of the sun for seven minutes, compared to the four minutes available on the ground. They will be studying the eclipse with a variety of instruments at an altitude of 50,000ft (15km).
“It’s extremely exciting,” exclaimed NASA pilot Tony Casey, who serves as a sensor equipment operator (SEO) on one of the aircraft. “I am stoked. I’m so excited to be able to fly this mission. I’m looking forward to just the experience of being there in this moment and the shadow overtaking you.”
Casey will be the second crewman in one of the two WB-57 planes, responsible for operating the aircraft’s instruments to study the eclipse.
Equipped with a camera and telescope system operated by Casey, the plane’s instruments will capture images of the Sun in infrared and visible light, aiding in the study of its atmosphere — the corona — as it dances around the Moon. The team will also be on the lookout for a dust ring and asteroids that may be visible near the Sun.
“The planes have this system that mounts onto the nose of the aircraft that allows you to put a telescope in there,” explained solar physicist Amir Caspi at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado, who leads the experiment Casey will be conducting. Similar experiments were carried out in 2017 during a previous total solar eclipse in the US.
About two hours before the eclipse, the two planes will take off from Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and head down to Mexico. At the moment of the eclipse, each aircraft will be “about five or six miles apart,” Casey shared, traveling at 460mph (740 km/h).
While this speed falls short of the eclipse shadow’s incredible pace of about 1,600mph (2,500 km/h), it will allow the planes to spend more time in totality as they race along with the shadow.
“Obviously we can’t keep up with it,” Casey noted. “So we want to be in the spot looking in the correct location and then, as soon as it’s totally obscured, we’ll follow that path all the way back to US airspace.”
As the eclipse unfolds to the right of the planes, Casey will operate the camera, zooming in on different areas of the Sun while communicating with the ground team.
“The field of view only covers a third of the Sun,” he remarked, explaining that he will move the camera between each side of the star to obtain a comprehensive view during the eclipse and focus on any intriguing features such as an “interesting flare.”
While operating the equipment remains a top priority, Casey hopes to steal a moment to witness the eclipse with his own eyes. “We’ve got to verify that totality has been achieved before using this very expensive scientific camera and instrument,” he said. “But aside from a quick glance, I will probably be keeping my eye on the screen to ensure the instrument is not drifting.”
The high altitude of the planes will offer an unparalleled view compared to the ground due to the thinner atmosphere. “It should be much crisper because you’re above the haze,” Casey explained. This vantage point will also yield scientific data that cannot be matched on the ground. “The whole reason the sky is blue is because of [light] scattering in the atmosphere,” he pointed out. “So you’re getting above a whole lot of that.”
The WB-57s are particularly well-suited for studying eclipses due to their long range of about 2,500 miles (4,000km) and the extended time they can spend in the air, roughly six and a half hours. These aircraft are not solely reserved for eclipse missions, as NASA also employs them for various research or photography tasks, including observing rocket launches.
In November 2022, Casey flew in one of the planes and captured images of NASA’s Artemis I mission to the Moon, the debut launch of its massive new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. He also photographed the inaugural launch of SpaceX’s enormous Starship rocket in April 2023.
Despite holding one of the most impressive roles, Casey remains grounded. “I am a guy from a very small town in Northwest Alabama,” he reflected. “Somehow I have stumbled my way into this position where I fly in this extremely unique aircraft at the edge of the atmosphere and see rocket launches and now the eclipse. I’m just trying to do my best in the position that I’m put in.” — BBC
Unleashing the Power of the Written Word: The Art of Spinning Content with a Journalistic Flair
In the fast-paced world of digital content, writers are constantly challenged to create engaging and informative pieces that captivate their audience. One way to achieve this is by infusing your writing with a journalistic flair that grabs the reader’s attention and keeps them coming back for more.
With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, journalists are experts at crafting compelling narratives that draw readers in and make them feel like they are part of the story. By incorporating elements of journalistic writing into your content, you can elevate your work to new heights and stand out in a crowded online space.
From attention-grabbing headlines to descriptive language that paints a vivid picture in the reader’s mind, the art of spinning content with a journalistic flair is a powerful tool in the writer’s arsenal. By mastering the techniques used by journalists, you can create content that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impression.
So, unleash the power of the written word and take your content to the next level by incorporating the techniques of journalistic writing into your work. With a little practice and a lot of creativity, you can craft pieces that are not only informative and engaging but also set you apart as a writer who knows how to captivate an audience.
