NASA Johnson pilots chase moon's shadow for eclipse science

NASA’s WB-57F aircraft took off from Ellington Field in Houston to support the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse over Iceland. The mission aimed to study the sun's corona, the outer atmosphere that is far hotter than the sun's surface. Pilots from NASA's Johnson Space Center flew the aircraft to Iceland to capture data during the brief window when the moon's shadow obscured the sun. The WB-57F flew at about 50,000 feet (15,000 meters) to reduce atmospheric interference and observe infrared wavelengths that are largely absorbed lower in Earth's atmosphere. The aircraft's high altitude allowed scientists to collect detailed observations of the corona.

• The WB-57F was used to capture data during the eclipse.
• The aircraft's altitude allowed it to observe infrared wavelengths that are largely absorbed lower in Earth's atmosphere.
• The mission required careful coordination between scientists and the flight crew to capture the observations.

The data collected during the mission will help scientists better understand the processes that influence the space environment around Earth. The WB-57F's unique high-altitude flight capabilities were crucial in providing access to these valuable wavelengths during an eclipse whose path crossed mostly over the ocean in an area where clouds are common. The mission involved a huge team effort, from the science team establishing the requirements to the maintenance team servicing and preparing the aircraft. During totality, the pilot positioned the aircraft along the eclipse path to maximize time in the moon's shadow and give scientists as much opportunity as possible to collect data. The camera systems were controlled from the back seat, and every second mattered as the images captured were another piece of data that could reveal something new about the sun.

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