Science
NASA pilots fly high-altitude research mission during total solar eclipse
A WB-57F aircraft operating out of Iceland captured infrared views of the solar corona from 50,000 feet.
The short version
- Pilots from NASA's Johnson Space Center deployed a WB-57F high-altitude aircraft from Houston to Iceland to study the solar eclipse.
- Flying at roughly 50,000 feet permitted scientists to gather infrared data above atmospheric interference like clouds, dust, and water vapor.
- The mission sought to collect imagery of the Sun's outer atmosphere to investigate why the solar corona is significantly hotter than its visible surface.
Key facts
- NASA Johnson Space Center pilots flew a WB-57F research aircraft from Ellington Field in Houston to Iceland to shadow the eclipse path.[NASA News]
- The aircraft operated at approximately 50,000 feet to capture solar observations in infrared wavelengths that are typically absorbed at lower atmospheric levels.[NASA News]
- The mission was piloted by John Gustine alongside sensor equipment operator Cary Klemm.[NASA News]
- Amir Caspi of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, serves as the principal investigator for the research study.[NASA News]
What remains uncertain
- The full findings from the gathered eclipse data remain unknown as scientists continue to analyze the collected images.[NASA News]