High Technology Could Solve Solar Mysteries During Eclipse
Millions of Americans will see Monday’s solar eclipse, but besides the delight and awe that comes with such a big, cosmic event, it could yield important new measurements and a better understanding of our solar system. Cutting-edge imaging technology from a Birmingham-based nonprofit is set to fly along the eclipse’s path on two former military planes now operated by NASA.
Window (or Shadow) of Advantage
Normally, the sun is so bright and hot it makes studying anything near it difficult. But Birmingham’s Southern Research is taking advantage of the eclipse. Don Darrow of NASA and Southern Research says even with the best heat-imaging cameras, it’s hard to get a read on Mercury, the planet closest to the sun. It’s complicated, but he says, “basically, it’s too hot to be able to get accurate measurements through infrared. So this opportunity that we have, with the moon blocking it out — we’ll actually be able to get the first temperature gradients of Mercury that have been recorded.”
Temperature maps of Mercury won’t be the only goal when Darrow and an engineer in another retooled B-57 bomber start chasing the moon’s shadow south of Saint Louis. High-resolution images and video could help scientists solve a mystery at the center of our solar system.
“The intention is to try to identify why the outer layers of the sun are so much hotter than some of the inner layers,” he says.
And there’s yet another puzzle that Southern Research’s imaging system could resolve: whether asteroids called vulcanoids near Mercury exist. Astronomers think they might, but small objects close to the sun are hard to detect.
No Pressure at All
The telescopic cameras will try to find these objects and more from almost 10 miles above the Earth.
“We have a joystick in the back, like you’d see in the cockpit of an airplane. That’s how we manually control the sensors,” he says, adding, “There’s a lot that can go wrong. And I have to be on my game in order to make sure that I can either head off anything that I see coming, or overcome anything that happens.”
The Need for Speed
Down on the ground in Birmingham, Southern Research engineering project director Johanna Lewis says the eclipse moves really fast, so they have a strategy: two planes.
“One will fly with the shadow, but the shadow moves faster than the plane moves,” she explains. “So we’ll be able to get about four minutes of data out of the first plane. The second plane will come in and pick up where it left off and collect another four minutes. And so we’ll be able to stretch that to about eight minutes worth of data.”
That’s eight minutes of eclipse when the sun won’t overpower or damage the sensors. Lewis has faith in the mission team, too:
“NASA provides the planes, Southern Research provides the instruments that collect the data, and [Texas-based nonprofit] Southwest Research will be processing the data and doing the analysis.”
Some of those findings could be released in about a month. Darrow sees many potential benefits here.
“This mission is going to be historic for the Mercury observation, but I think we’re going to get some phenomenal images of the sun as well.”
Those images are set to be live-streamed on NASA TV. And you won’t even need special glasses or a modified B-57 bomber to see them.
A runway under construction at Newark’s beleaguered airport reopens early
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy praised airport officials, unions and workers for completing the estimated 60-day project 13 days early. The Newark airport has been hobbled by delays.
Raids and revenge tips: Inside ICE’s Puerto Rico deportation operation
Rebecca González runs one of ICE's local domestic intelligence offices. She told NPR how her agents are tracking down immigrants in Puerto Rico to deliver on President Trump's mass deportation promise.
Marc Maron ends iconic podcast after 16 years: ‘We’re burnt out’
Marc Maron has interviewed Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, former President Barack Obama and many more. But after 16 years and 1,600+ episodes, he's ready to call it quits.
Trump’s budget calls for a 15% funding cut to the Education Department
New details of the administration's budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 came after a federal judge blocked the president's efforts to close the U.S. Education Department.
A Manson Family member was recommended for parole again. But she’s not free just yet
Patricia Krenwinkel was 21 when she participated in the August 1969 murders. Her parole recommendation would need to be approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who rejected the last one in 2022.
Mount Etna erupts, shooting a massive ash cloud into the sky and raising alerts
Mount Etna produced a spectacularly explosive eruption Monday, sending a ripple of reddish clouds down from the southeast summit of Europe's highest active volcano.