To investigate why the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, maintains temperatures significantly higher than its surface, NASA deployed a WB-57F research aircraft during the August 12 total solar eclipse. By operating from Iceland, the flight crew positioned the aircraft within the Moon’s shadow as it traversed the North Atlantic.

Flying at an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet, the WB-57F bypassed atmospheric obstructions such as clouds, dust, and water vapor. This elevation allowed onboard instruments to record infrared wavelengths that are typically absorbed by the lower atmosphere, providing researchers with a clearer view of the corona's plasma and magnetic fields.

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The mission required months of preparation and coordination between scientists and flight personnel. Pilots John Gustine and Tom Parent worked alongside sensor equipment operator Cary Klemm to ensure the aircraft remained in the optimal position during the brief period of totality. According to Klemm, each captured image serves as a critical data point for understanding solar phenomena.

Amir Caspi, the study's principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute, noted that the aircraft's high-altitude capabilities were essential for the mission, particularly given the prevalence of cloud cover over the ocean path. The data collected is expected to enhance scientific understanding of space weather and the physical processes governing the Sun, which have implications for the space environment surrounding Earth.

Source: NASA