CoulombFly, a prototype of a small solar-powered drone
Wei Shen, Jingze Peng, and Mingjin Qi
Weighing just 4 grams, the drone is the smallest solar-powered aircraft ever to fly, thanks to special electrostatic motors that generate extremely high voltages and tiny solar panels. Though the hummingbird-sized prototype only lasted an hour, developers say the approach could lead to insect-sized drones that can remain airborne indefinitely.
Small drones are an attractive solution to a variety of problems in communications, espionage and search and rescue, but they suffer from short battery life, while solar-powered drones struggle to generate enough power to be self-sustaining.
When solar-powered drones are made smaller, the solar panels become smaller and the amount of available energy decreases. Minjin Chee Researchers from China's Beihang University say the efficiency of electric motors also declines as more energy is lost as heat.
To avoid this decay cycle, Qi and his colleagues developed a simple circuit that boosts the voltage generated by solar panels to between 6,000 and 9,000 volts. They powered the 10-centimeter rotors using an electrostatic propulsion system, rather than using electromagnetic motors like those used in electric cars, quadcopters, and a variety of robots.
The motor works by alternately attracting and repelling charged parts arranged in a ring, generating torque to spin a single rotor blade like a helicopter. The lightweight parts are made from ultra-thin carbon fiber covered with very delicate aluminum foil. The high voltage requirement is actually an advantage, as the current is reduced, resulting in very little heat loss.
“T“The motor generates very little heat because the operating current is very low for the same power output. The motor's high efficiency and low power consumption allow the vehicle to be powered by very small solar panels,” Qi said. “For the first time, we have successfully flown a micro air vehicle using natural light; previously, this was only achievable with very large ultralight aircraft.”
The machine, which the researchers call the “CoulombFly,” weighs just 4.21 grams and could fly for an hour before it failed. Qi says these weaknesses can be eliminated by design, and future versions could fly essentially indefinitely, using solar panels during the day and powering themselves from radio signals like 4G or Wi-Fi at night.
CoulombFly has a payload capacity of 1.59 grams, allowing it to carry small sensors, computers, and cameras, but with improved designs, the researchers believe this can be increased to 4 grams, and the fixed-wing version could carry up to 30 grams. An even smaller version of CoulombFly, with rotors less than 1 centimeter in diameter, is also in development.
Solar panels have become a common sight in suburban neighborhoods in California. However, the state’s ambitious clean energy vision has led to a unique challenge – sometimes producing more solar energy than it can use effectively, resulting in wastage of clean energy.
This excess of solar energy has resulted in a phenomenon known as the “duck curve,” where solar generation surpasses demand. This issue is most pronounced on sunny spring days when demand for electricity is low.
The surplus energy is often exported to other parts of the Western U.S. due to California’s grid connectivity, but in some cases, it may need to be curtailed. Independent System Operator data shows that California has lost a significant amount of renewable energy this year, primarily solar power.
To address this challenge, proposals have been made to increase electricity supply through additional transmission lines and more battery installations to store excess power. However, recent changes in financial incentives for homeowners installing solar power have negatively impacted the rooftop solar industry in California.
Despite the setbacks, Governor Gavin Newsom remains optimistic about California’s clean energy progress, pointing out the state’s significant solar power generation and increasing battery installations. Critics of the incentive changes argue that it could lead to higher energy costs for non-solar customers and hinder the state’s transition to renewable energy.
As California navigates these challenges on its path to achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, the state’s decisions are closely watched by other states considering similar transitions. The rooftop solar industry plays a crucial role in this transition, as highlighted by industry experts.
Dead Planets Society is a podcast that takes some crazy ideas for how to tinker with the universe and tests their effects against the laws of physics, from snapping the moon in half to causing doomsday events with gravitational waves. apple, Spotify Or check out our podcast page.
By the end of the 16th century, pretty much everyone knew that the Earth revolved around the Sun, not the other way around. This was a huge blow to those who thought the Earth was the center of the universe, but the Dead Planets Society is here to ease their disappointment. Yes, we're trying to revive geocentrism.
Putting Earth at the center of the solar system requires more than just fudging the math: The Sun is much more massive than our puny planet, so forcing it to orbit the Sun would be nearly impossible, so hosts Chelsea White and Leah Crane would have to make some major changes to the solar system as we know it.
In this episode, Andy Rivkin Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland say the only way to make Earth an Earth-centered solar system would be to make it the most massive thing around – which would have some strange effects, assuming it doesn't collapse the planet into a black hole.
First, the Moon would have to speed up to maintain its orbit, orbiting the Earth in an hour or so before it would break apart. If the remaining planets didn't speed up too, they would all crash into the new giant Earth within a decade or two. The Earth's extra mass could also disrupt other nearby stars, causing them to start attracting it to Earth. A victorious Earth-centered solar system might not last long, but it would certainly come to a dramatic end.
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is hurtling out of our solar system at incredible speed. It’s currently about 8 billion kilometers from the Sun, and by the time you finish reading this article, it will be thousands of kilometers further into the frigid darkness. Space is lonely; even the giant planet Jupiter is just a tiny speck.
New Horizons is best known for getting the first proper glimpses of the dwarf planet Pluto in 2015, which it had previously only seen as a faint smudge. It also taught us a lot about the outer solar system and the tiny frozen worlds that float there. “It’s really been an Alice in Wonderland kind of story,” says Alan Stern, the mission’s principal investigator. “It’s been a magical experience, and we’ve made some amazing discoveries.”
But the dream isn’t over yet, because New Horizons may make a surprise final move. In early 2024, one of New Horizons’ detectors recorded an unexpected increase in the amount of dust it encountered. That material could have been created by collisions between rocky fragments, and astronomers now suspect that there may be many objects beyond the rubble-strewn Kuiper Belt, often considered the edge of the solar system. If so, the boundaries of the solar system would need to be redrawn, calling into question models of the formation of the solar system.
Stern and his colleagues are clearly hoping to take advantage of the rover’s unique location to learn more about this unexplored wilderness while they still can. “This is…
A cold, dense cloud in the Milky Way’s interstellar medium is about four to five orders of magnitude denser than its diffuse counterparts, and a team of astronomers from Boston University, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University has found evidence that two to three million years ago, our solar system encountered one of these dense clouds, which may have been so dense that it disrupted the solar wind.
Offers othersThe interstellar material through which the Sun has traveled over the past few million years indicates the presence of cold, dense clouds that could have had dramatic effects on the heliosphere. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Most stars generate winds that move through the surrounding interstellar medium.
This motion creates a cocoon that protects the planet from interstellar material. The Sun’s cocoon is the heliosphere.
It’s made up of a constant stream of charged particles called the solar wind, which extends far beyond Pluto, enveloping the planet in what astronomers call a “local bubble.”
It protects us from radiation and galactic rays that can alter DNA, and scientists think it’s part of the reason why life on Earth evolved.
A cold interstellar cloud compressed the heliosphere, temporarily placing Earth and other planets in the solar system outside of its influence, according to a new study.
“Our paper is the first to quantitatively show that there was an encounter between the Sun and something outside our solar system that affected Earth’s climate,” said Professor Merab Auffar of Boston University.
“Stars move, and this paper shows that not only do they move, but they undergo dramatic changes.”
To study this phenomenon, Professor Orpher and his colleagues essentially went back in time and used advanced computer models to visualize where the Sun was located two million years ago, along with the heliosphere and the rest of the solar system.
They also mapped the path of a “localized cold cloud ribbon” system, a series of large, dense and very cold clouds made mainly of hydrogen atoms.
Their simulations showed that one of the clouds near the edge of the ribbon, a “local cold cloud,” may have collided with the heliosphere.
If this had happened, Earth would have been fully exposed to interstellar matter, where gases and dust would have mixed with atomic elements left over from the exploded star, such as iron and plutonium.
Normally, the heliosphere filters out most of these radioactive particles, but without protection they could easily reach Earth.
This is consistent with geological evidence showing increased levels of the isotopes iron-60 and plutonium-244 in the oceans, the moon, Antarctic snow and ice cores from the same period, according to the paper.
This timing also coincides with temperature records indicating a cold period.
“It is rare for our cosmic neighbors outside our solar system to have an impact on life on Earth,” said Harvard University professor Avi Loeb.
“It’s exciting to discover that our passage through dense clouds millions of years ago may have exposed the Earth to much greater amounts of cosmic rays and atomic hydrogen.”
“Our findings open a new window into the evolution of life on Earth and its relationship with our cosmic neighbours.”
“External pressure from localized lynxes of cold clouds could have continuously blocked the heliosphere for hundreds to millions of years, depending on the size of the cloud.”
“But as soon as Earth left the cold cloud, the heliosphere engulfed all the planets, including Earth.”
“It’s impossible to know exactly what effect the cold clouds had on the Earth, such as whether they caused ice ages.”
“But there are other cool clouds in the interstellar medium that the Sun likely encountered in its first few billion years.”
“And we’ll probably encounter many more over the next million years or so.”
The authors are currently working to determine where the Sun was 7 million years ago, and beyond.
Pinpointing the position of the Sun and cold cloud systems millions of years ago is made possible by data collected by ESA’s Gaia mission, which has produced the largest 3D map of the galaxy ever, showing in unprecedented detail how fast stars move.
“This cloud is certainly from our past, and if we passed through something this massive, we would have been exposed to interstellar material,” Prof Auffar said.
“This is just the beginning. We hope this paper opens the door to further exploration of how the solar system was influenced by outside forces in the ancient past, and how these forces may have shaped life on Earth.”
of paper Published in today’s journal Natural Astronomy.
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M. Offer othersIt is possible that Earth was directly exposed to cold, dense interstellar material 2 to 3 million years ago. Nat AstronPublished online June 10, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02279-8
NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured these views of the small red moon Amalthea and its parent planet during a flyby on March 7, 2024.
These views of Jupiter, captured by Juno on March 7, 2024, during its 59th flyby of the giant planet, offer a good look at Jupiter’s colorful bands and swirling storms, including the Great Red Spot. can. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.
Amalthea, also known as Jupiter V, is Jupiter’s third moon in order of distance from the gas giant.
Discovered in 1892 by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard, the Moon is irregular and measures approximately 250 x 146 x 128 km (155 x 91 x 80 miles).
Amalthea orbits Jupiter at a distance of 181,400 km (112,717 miles) and takes 0.498 Earth days to complete one orbit.
Each time it orbits Jupiter, it rotates once on its axis, always keeping the same side facing the planet.
Amalthea is the reddest object in the solar system and appears to emit more heat from the Sun than it receives.
This is likely due to the fact that the moon’s core contains electrical currents as it orbits within Jupiter’s strong magnetic field.
Alternatively, the heat could be due to tidal forces.
These images from Juno show Jupiter’s small moon Amalthea. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Gerald Eichstädt.
“Amalthea is potato-shaped and lacks the mass to pull it into a sphere,” the Juno scientists said.
“In 2000, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft revealed several surface features, including impact craters, hills, and valleys.”
“Amalthea orbits Jupiter inside the orbit of Io. Io is the innermost of Jupiter’s four large moons and takes 0.498 Earth days to orbit.”
“At the time the first of these two images was taken, Juno was approximately 265,000 kilometers above Jupiter’s clouds and at a latitude of approximately 5 degrees north of the equator,” the researchers added.
“Citizen scientist Gerald Eichstedt created these images using raw data from Juno’s JunoCam instrument and applied processing techniques that enhance the clarity of the images.”
As the world focuses on decarbonizing power and transportation, reducing heat emissions from industrial processes remains a challenge. Although using solar energy is an attractive alternative, current solar converters have poor performance and are expensive when process temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit) are required. In a new study, scientists at ETH Zurich show that the heat-trapping effect caused by exposing common translucent materials (such as quartz or water) to solar radiation absorbs sunlight by suppressing radiation losses at high temperatures. We have shown how the viability of the photoreceiver can be increased. They demonstrated this effect experimentally at industrially relevant temperatures of 1,050 degrees Celsius (1,922 degrees Fahrenheit).
Casati other. The solar capture effect was experimentally demonstrated at temperatures as high as 1,050 degrees Celsius. They performed stagnation experiments under concentrated thermal radiation and achieved a steady-state temperature difference of about 600 degrees Celsius between the absorber and the outer surface by using quartz as a volumetric absorption medium.Image credit: Casati other., doi: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100399.
“To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonize energy in general,” said Dr. Emiliano Casati, a researcher at ETH Zurich.
“Electricity can only be thought of as energy, but in reality, about half of that energy is used as heat.”
Glass, steel, cement, and ceramics are at the heart of modern civilization, essential to the construction of everything from car engines to skyscrapers.
However, manufacturing these materials requires temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius and relies heavily on the combustion of fossil fuels for heat. These industries account for approximately 25% of global energy consumption.
Researchers have been exploring clean energy alternatives using solar receivers that concentrate and store heat with thousands of sun-tracking mirrors.
However, this technology has difficulty transmitting solar energy efficiently at temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius.
To increase the efficiency of solar receivers, Dr. Casati and his colleagues turned to translucent materials such as quartz that can trap sunlight. This is a phenomenon called the thermal trap effect.
The researchers created a heat-trapping device by attaching synthetic quartz rods to opaque silicon disks as energy absorbers.
When the device was exposed to an energy flux equivalent to 136 solar rays, the absorber plate reached a temperature of 1,050 degrees Celsius, while the other end of the quartz rod remained at 600 degrees Celsius (1,112 degrees Fahrenheit).
“Previous studies have only been able to demonstrate heat-trapping effects up to 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit),” Dr. Casati said.
“Our research shows that solar heat capture works not only at low temperatures, but also at temperatures well above 1,000 degrees Celsius. This is very important to demonstrate its potential in real-world industrial applications. is.”
The scientists also simulated the heat-trapping efficiency of quartz under various conditions using a heat transfer model.
The model showed that the heat trap achieves the target temperature at a lower concentration with the same performance, or the same concentration and higher thermal efficiency.
For example, a state-of-the-art (unshielded) receiver has an efficiency of 40% at 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 degrees Fahrenheit) and a concentration of 500 suns.
A 300 mm quartz shielded receiver achieves 70% efficiency at the same temperature and concentration.
A concentration of at least 1,000 suns is required for equivalent performance with an unshielded receiver.
The authors are currently optimizing the heat trapping effect and investigating new applications of the method. So far, their research is promising.
By studying other materials, such as various fluids and gases, even higher temperatures could be reached.
They also noted that the ability of these translucent materials to absorb light and radiation is not limited to solar radiation.
“Energy issues are fundamental to the survival of our society,” Dr. Casati said.
“Solar energy is readily available and the technology already exists.”
“To truly accelerate industry adoption, we need to demonstrate the economic viability and benefits of this technology at scale.”
The team's results were published online today. journal device.
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Emiliano Casati other. Captures solar heat over 1,000℃. device, published online on May 15, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100399
Humanity has always dreamed of traveling beyond our solar system to the stars, but the vastness of the universe has kept us grounded. Our closest star, Proxima Centauri, is a staggering 4.24 light years away, which is too far for us to wait patiently.
Recently, on April 23, NASA launched the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System from New Zealand, a system that uses lightweight sails to propel spacecraft instead of traditional rockets. This development has excited both experts and science fiction fans, as it opens up possibilities for long-distance space travel.
How solar sail works
Instead of using thrusters and fuel like traditional spacecraft, solar sail systems use reflective sails to absorb momentum from photons emitted by the sun. This technology enables spacecraft to gain acceleration without the limitations of fuel. In space, where there is no air resistance, a slight push from the sun is all that’s needed for propulsion.
Solar sails operate similar to sailing ships, utilizing the momentum of photons for movement. By harnessing the sun’s energy, spacecraft can travel far distances at manageable speeds.
How fast can an interstellar probe travel with a solar sail?
The speed of a solar sail system depends on factors like the size of the sail, spacecraft mass, and distance from the sun. With creative maneuvers like slingshot maneuvers and potential laser boosts, spacecraft using solar sails can achieve speeds close to 20% of the speed of light.
Future solar sail systems could reach speeds up to 20 percent of the speed of light. – Image credit: NASA/Aero Animation/Ben Schweighart
Will humanity ever be able to sail to another planet?
Potentially, solar sail technology could pave the way for human interstellar travel in the future. However, there are challenges, such as sustaining long-term missions for generations and addressing relativistic effects caused by near-light speed travel.
What exactly is NASA's solar sail mission?
NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System is a demonstration of solar sail technology that aims to test a new lightweight boom made of flexible materials. The mission involves a CubeSat deploying an 80 square meter sail in orbit to gather data for future solar sail missions.
About our experts
patrick johnson is an associate professor at Georgetown University with expertise in quantum mechanics. He authored the book “Star Wars Physics” and has contributed to scientific journals like Physical Review.
WASHINGTON — THE PRESIDENT Joe Biden marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar power projects serving more than 900,000 households in low- and moderate-income areas. He also plans to expand the New Deal-style U.S. Climate Change Corps Green Jobs Training Program.
The grants were awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, with 60 recipients announced on Monday. Government officials expect the projects to reduce emissions by the equivalent of 30 million tons of carbon dioxide and save households $350 million a year.
Biden’s climate announcement is aimed at energizing young voters in his re-election bid. Young people played a key role in defeating then-President Donald Trump in 2020. They have shown interest in Biden’s climate policy and are eager to contribute through programs like the Climate Change Corps.
Solar energy is gaining popularity as a renewable energy source that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve the power grid’s reliability. However, the initial installation cost of solar energy remains a barrier for many Americans.
The grants include 49 state-level grants, six grants for Native American tribes, and five multi-state grants. They can be used for investments in rooftop solar power generation and community solar gardens.
Biden made the announcement at Prince William Forest Park in northern Virginia, about 30 miles southwest of Washington. The park was established in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
Biden’s American Climate Corps, modeled after President Roosevelt’s New Deal, offers about 2,000 positions in 36 states, including partnerships with the Building Trades Union of North America.
The grants are part of the Solar for All program, funded by a $27 billion “green bank” established as part of a broader climate law initiative. The program aims to reduce climate change, air pollution, and support disadvantaged communities most affected by climate change.
EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe expressed excitement about the funds benefiting communities, providing skills, creating jobs, and helping households save on utility bills.
Among the businesses receiving grants are nonprofit projects in West Virginia, solar leasing programs in Mississippi, and solar worker training programs in South Carolina.
Concerns remain about Republican opposition to taxpayer-funded green banks and accountability for how the funds are used. The EPA previously allocated the remaining $20 billion in bank funds to support clean energy projects in various organizations and communities.
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will occur in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This type of solar eclipse only occurs when the sun and moon line up perfectly in the sky, causing the moon to cover the entire disk of the sun and cast a shadow on Earth. The path this shadow follows as it crosses the ground at speeds exceeding 2,400 kilometers per hour is called a total path, and during this eclipse, the shadow will cross from the west coast of Mexico, across 13 states of the United States, to Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and beyond. At any given location, totality lasts from about 90 seconds to nearly 4.5 minutes.
During this period, the sky becomes dark as at dusk and the temperature drops by 10 degrees. Viewers will be able to remove their eclipse glasses, which are essential during the partial phase of the eclipse, and look directly at the Sun, which is covered by the Moon. At this range, the sun’s outermost layer, the corona, becomes visible. At other times, it may be too dark to see due to the glare of the sun. Total solar eclipses like this one are rare opportunities for researchers studying the sun and have led to major scientific advances over the years.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
One of the most eagerly anticipated sky-watching events in recent years is set to take place on Monday, with a total solar eclipse gracing North American skies.
Weather permitting, millions of people in Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and eastern Canada will have the opportunity to witness the moon passing between Earth and the sun, momentarily blocking the sun’s light.
The total solar eclipse will be visible along a “total path” that spans more than 100 miles wide and extends across the continent, with the moon completely obstructing the sun, casting darkness over the afternoon sky for a few minutes.
The rest of the continental United States will experience a partial solar eclipse, where the moon will appear to take a bite out of the sun, with the size of the “bite” varying by location.
The first total eclipse event in North America on Monday will occur on the Pacific coast of Mexico at around 11:07 a.m. Pacific time, as per NASA.
Moving northeast through Mexico, the eclipse’s path will cross through states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and beyond, leading into parts of Canada including southern Ontario and Quebec.
The duration and timing of the total solar eclipse will vary depending on location, with most areas experiencing about two minutes of darkness, with the longest period usually occurring at the center of the eclipse’s path.
This year, the longest totality period will last 4 minutes and 28 seconds in the northwest region of Torreon, Mexico.
The moon covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Cerulean, Kentucky, August 21, 2017. Timothy D. Easley / AP File
Below is a list of times for some US cities along the path of totality. According to NASA.
Dallas: A partial solar eclipse will start at 12:23 p.m. CT, with a total eclipse commencing at 1:40 p.m. CT.
Idabel, Oklahoma: A partial solar eclipse begins at 12:28 p.m. CT, and a total eclipse starts at 1:45 p.m. CT.
Little Rock, AR: A partial solar eclipse will begin at 12:33 p.m. CT, and a total solar eclipse is scheduled for 1:51 p.m. CT.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri: The partial solar eclipse begins at 12:39 p.m. CT, with totality kicking off at 1:56 p.m. CT.
Paducah, Kentucky: A partial solar eclipse will commence at 12:42 p.m. CT, followed by a total solar eclipse at 2 p.m. CT.
Carbondale, IL: The partial solar eclipse will start at 12:42 p.m. CT, with the total solar eclipse beginning at 1:59 p.m. CT.
Evansville, Indiana: A partial solar eclipse will begin at 12:45 p.m. CT, and a total eclipse will begin at 2:02 p.m. CT.
CLEVELAND: A partial solar eclipse will begin at 1:59 p.m. ET, followed by a total eclipse starting at 3:13 p.m.
Erie, Pennsylvania: A partial solar eclipse will begin at 2:02 p.m. ET, and a total solar eclipse will start at 3:16 p.m. ET.
Buffalo, NY: A partial solar eclipse will start at 2:04 p.m. ET, with a total solar eclipse beginning at 3:18 p.m.
Burlington, Vermont: A partial solar eclipse will begin at 2:14 p.m. ET, and a total solar eclipse is set to start at 3:26 p.m. ET.
Lancaster, New Hampshire: The partial solar eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET, followed by a total solar eclipse starting at 3:27 p.m.
Caribou, Maine: A partial solar eclipse begins at 2:22 p.m. ET, with a total solar eclipse starting at 3:32 p.m. ET.
Remember, when observing celestial events, never look directly at the Sun through binoculars, telescopes, or camera lenses. Special solar eclipse glasses are necessary to view the eclipse safely and avoid permanent eye damage.
On April 8th, while most people in the United States will be staring into the sky (preferably wearing appropriate safety glasses), animals will have no idea what’s going on.
That’s natural, right? For animals, the sun constitutes their entire life. Without energy drinks and late-night TV to disrupt their sleep schedules, the sun is an all-in-one alarm clock, sleeping pill, and calendar for animals.
“Basically, everything we’ve ever heard about animal behavior during a solar eclipse can reasonably be considered anecdotal from a scientific perspective.” Professor Adam Hartstone Rose says the person who led the research. BBC Science Focus.
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Hartstone-Rose and his team observed the behavior of 17 species at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. This is the first time such a study has been conducted. What did they find? Now, how animals behave during a total solar eclipse varies dramatically, from not at all bothersome to downright weird…
Strange ways animals may react to solar eclipses
Heartstone-Rose said animals responded to celestial events in one of four ways. These include not responding at all, starting nighttime routines, showing anxiety, and exhibiting new behaviors.
“Most animals fall into a category that we call related to circadian rhythms. So basically, animals treat solar eclipses as if they were evening, then night, then morning; “I get into a routine,” he says.
Similar nighttime routines have been widely reported for other eclipses. As the moon passes in front of the sun, expect birds to quiet down and crickets and cicadas to become more active.
The next largest behavioral category was, somewhat sadly, anxiety-related behaviors. For example, evidence gathered by Hartstone-Rose and her research team suggests that if you’re near a giraffe during a solar eclipse, you should stay well away from them.
“During the peak of the eclipse, the giraffes started running around like crazy and in potentially dangerous ways,” Hartstone-Rose explains.
“Giraffes in the wild are very gentle animals. They’re a little bit wild and sensitive. They don’t do crazy things unless they have to, so when I saw giraffes running around…, only when startled by a predator, vehicle, etc.”
Thankfully, any disturbing behavior didn’t last long. “The good news is that all of the animal’s behavior returns to normal very quickly, literally within minutes.”
But what about these so-called “novel” behaviors? This is where things get weird.
The siamang is a type of gibbon that lives in the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Although they look cute, they are known to be very noisy and have large throat pouches.use their heads to help sing.
The research team recorded the calls of the siamang during and for several days before and after the eclipse, and found that it emitted a unique call during the totality. It was something they had never heard before.
“We were able to statistically show that vocalizations during a solar eclipse are much different than at any other time we’ve been able to record vocalizations,” Hartstone-Rose says. “That was pretty remarkable.”
read more:
The prize for the strangest solar eclipse behavior is… giant tortoise?
If anxious runs and strange songs weren’t enough, Riverbanks Zoo’s Galapagos tortoises took their reaction to the solar eclipse to a different level.
“Galapagos tortoises are not charismatic animals,” Hartstone-Rose says. “They’re like weird looking rocks that can live to be well over 100 years old.”
Galapagos giant tortoises began mating from the moment of totality. – Image credit: Getty
According to stereotypes, they are not particularly fast moving and the males Weight is over 227 kg making it the largest turtle species on Earth.
When the sun eclipsed the moon in 2017, Galapagos tortoises started doing something unexpected. They literally started breeding right before our eyes. “
Therefore, a solar eclipse may lift your turtle’s mood. Did anyone know?
How can I participate this time?
After 2017’s surprising discoveries, researchers hope to do even more this year.
Hartstone-Rose and a team of researchers plan to observe animal behavior at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas. They will observe and compare some of the same species and new species from 2017.
But you don’t have to be a trained researcher to help scientists understand animal behavior during this once-in-a-lifetime event.
If you want to participate, just choose the animal you want to observe, whether it’s a dog, cat, domestic animal, or natural animal.
You don’t have to go down the path of perfection either. There will be at least a partial solar eclipse across the United States on April 8, and researchers want to know whether the severity of the eclipse affects behavior.
Before you worry that you’ll miss the eclipse itself because you’re too busy checking to see if your dog is scratching its ears, don’t worry. Data collection only takes a few seconds every few minutes, so you still have time to understand everything.
Why study animals during a solar eclipse?
While understanding how different animals behave during a solar eclipse may seem interesting to some, it is ultimately a pointless endeavor. Fair point. Although there is some method to madness.
First, Hartstone-Rose points out that it’s important to understand which animals exhibit anxiety.
“If solar eclipses are upsetting, or if the human response to solar eclipses is upsetting, that’s important information for us to know. For example, giraffes really If it runs around, it may be ethical to move the giraffe indoors during the next solar eclipse.
“At the end of the day, we don’t want them to hurt themselves.”
Even more poignantly, he thinks this could answer some of the big questions about our relationship with animals.
“One of the big questions, and anyone who has a pet dog or cat knows this, is what’s going on inside this animal’s head. Do you know? ? What is my dog thinking at any given moment? People have such questions not only about dogs, but about all their favorite animals.”
Perhaps by understanding how animals respond to one of the most unique and fascinating experiences on earth, we can move one step closer to solving the mystery.
About our experts
adam hartstone rose He is a professor of biological sciences at North Carolina State University. His research typically focuses on anatomical adaptations (e.g. feeding experiments), muscle examination (e.g. masticatory muscles), and analysis of bones and teeth in live animals. In 2017, he led a study on animal behavior during a total solar eclipse at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina.
There are plenty of solar eclipse activities to enjoy with your kids
Edwin Remsburg/Alamy
If you’re planning to enjoy the total solar eclipse on April 8 with your kids, here are some things you can do before and during the eclipse to help them understand what causes it and get the most out of the experience. Here are some activities.
1. Build an Eclipse viewer
The day before the solar eclipse, you and your kids can get excited about this big event by creating a solar eclipse viewer. There are several ways to do this. The first method is a simple pinhole camera that uses two pieces of paper. Cut a hole in a piece of paper and cover it with aluminum foil, then cut a small hole in the foil. On the day of the eclipse, when he lifts the paper and shines the sun’s rays through the hole, a version of the eclipse is projected onto his second piece of paper, which he places on the ground.
For a slightly more complicated version, place a piece of paper on one end of a cereal or shoe box and cut two holes in the other end. Place a piece of tin foil over one of the two holes and re-drill it to allow sunlight to pass through. More information on how to create both versions can be found here.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
2. Build a solar eclipse model
Another activity you can do before a solar eclipse is to build or act out models of the sun, moon, and earth to understand what a solar eclipse is. All you need to assemble is 3 sticks and his 3 balls to place on the sticks. You can paint and color them to look like the sun, moon, and earth. Make sure the sun is bigger than the moon. You can then show your children what a solar eclipse looks like by placing the sun in the center and moving the earth around the sun and the moon around the earth. A solar eclipse occurs when these three lines line up and the moon moves between the sun and the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun.
Children can also act out a solar eclipse. Of them, she will give one person a flashlight or flashlight to play the role of the sun and ask them to shine the flashlight on the wall. The other person is the moon, which can move around until it blocks the light of the torch. Both children can play with moving back and forth to show why the distance between the Moon, Earth, and Sun is important when it comes to solar eclipses.
3. Use sunlight to pop balloons
This can be done on any sunny day. But on days when you’re waiting for a total solar eclipse, you can show your kids how to pop balloons using the power of sunlight. This activity requires balloons and a magnifying glass. Inflate the balloon and then hold a magnifying glass over it to magnify the sunlight hitting the balloon. Wait a few minutes and the balloon will eventually pop. Do the same trick by inflating a white balloon inside a black balloon for an even more exciting atmosphere. The black balloon pops, leaving the white balloon inside intact. You can use this to explain how dark surfaces absorb sunlight and light surfaces reflect sunlight.
4. Play with the shadows
On the day of the solar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse phase will last for several hours while we wait for the total solar eclipse. Parents and children can enjoy the solar eclipse by watching and playing with the changes in the shadow. If you have trees nearby, observe the shadows they cast on the ground during the eclipse and you’ll notice that they begin to look like the sun has been bitten. This also works by crossing your fingers and casting a shadow on the ground. Another way to view the eclipse through the shadows is to use a colander or something with small holes. As the eclipse progresses, the shadow begins to take on the shape of the eclipse. You can punch a series of holes in the paper and spell out a word or your child’s name in the shape of a crescent moon.
5. Draw a shadow
This is another activity you can do during the time before and after totality, again making the most of the interesting shadows created by the partially eclipsed Sun. Place a large piece of white paper or sheet on the ground and ask the children to draw the shadows cast by different objects. If you do this at the beginning of the partial phase, and again when everyone is already close, you will be able to see how these shadows change as the eclipse progresses. By now you should have noticed that as the amount of light around you decreases, the shadows become more distinct.
Total solar eclipse in August 2017 over Jefferson City, Missouri
(NASA/Rami Daoud)
The following is an excerpt from the monthly Launchpad newsletter, where resident space expert Leah Crane travels through the solar system and beyond. You can sign up for Launchpad for free here.
It was in 1919 that the moon did something completely natural and blocked our view of the sun, forever changing our understanding of the universe. Observing from the African island of Principe, astronomer Arthur Eddington observed the positions of stars and planets that became visible in the eerie darkness of the day. Because most of the sun’s light was dimmed, he was able to see how light from distant stars is distorted when it is deflected by the sun’s gravity, an effect called gravitational lensing.
He confirmed his sightings with those of another expedition in Brazil, and these observations provided some of the first evidence for Albert Einstein’s relatively new theory of general relativity. This explanation of how massive objects distort the fabric of space-time is now considered fundamental, but at the time it was a revelation. It changed all the way we think about gravity and the universe.
It also led to my results Favorite newspaper headline most of all time, published in ofnew york times Later that year, “All the light in the heavens is slanted.” Scientists are more or less puzzled over the observations of solar eclipses. Triumph of Einstein’s theory The stars were determined by where they were visible and by calculation It’s not where it was, but no one needs to worry.”
“No one needs to worry” may seem like a bit of a stretch, but watching a total solar eclipse can certainly make you nervous in ways you can’t explain. I watched it for the first time in 2017. It was truly unforgettable. You might think of a solar eclipse as being like a cloudy day when clouds drift in front of the sun. After all, what’s happening is simply the moon passing in front of the sun and casting a shadow on Earth. But it’s surprisingly different.
The first thing you notice during a total solar eclipse is the moon’s shadow hurtling toward you across the ground at speeds of over 1,500 miles per hour. The extent of the shadow for April’s eclipse will be approximately 185 kilometers, but this can vary slightly based on the exact orientation of the Sun and Moon. As the shadow approaches, it looks like the moon has bitten the sun, and its light has a mysterious, foggy quality.
Suddenly, the area becomes dark. This is wholeness. Temperatures can drop up to 10 degrees. The only light comes from the sun’s outermost layer, called the corona, and ripples beyond the moon’s silhouette. It was completely dark, and some stars were visible in the sky. Many animals, including birds and insects, naturally seem to think it is night, and the otherworldly twilight becomes silent, except for the chirps of awakened nocturnal insects. I can’t tell you how you feel, but for me it was a mixture of awe and some strange primal fear. The sun disappeared, and even though my mind knew why, my body panicked at the loss.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
This seems to be a fairly common reaction, not just in humans. Researchers who studied animals during past total solar eclipses found that while some animals simply finished their evening routine early, many showed signs of anxiety and were aimless during total solar eclipses. I discovered that they run and huddle together.
Then, just a few minutes later, the total star will retreat as quickly as it arrived. The shadows rush away, the sun comes out again, and the birds and insects sing again. Astronomers look up from their solar telescopes, dazed but excited by the treasure trove of data they’ve collected.
Humans have been observing solar eclipses for thousands of years, and we’ve learned some very interesting things. When the sun’s disc is covered by the moon, its faint corona becomes visible, making solar eclipses the perfect time to study the sun’s outer reaches. For example, scientists first discovered helium during a total solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is also a great time to observe the plumes of radiation and material emitted from the sun’s surface through the corona. The coronavirus itself is very strange, and there is still much to understand about how it works. Despite being far removed from the sun’s core fusion, the corona is millions of degrees hotter than the sun’s surface, and we still don’t know why.
Even if you haven’t studied the sun’s mysterious layers, it’s worth watching a total solar eclipse. More than 100 years ago, newspaper editors got it right. More or less, you will be confused.
Inmates at New York State’s Woodbourne Correctional Facility will finally have the opportunity to view Monday’s solar eclipse, as announced by lawyers representing the inmates who filed a lawsuit on Thursday.
Six inmates at a medium-security men’s prison in Woodbourne, upstate New York, took legal action against the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for not allowing them to witness the eclipse.
The prisoners argued that being denied the chance to see the total solar eclipse was a violation of their religious rights, as they considered it a religious event.
Lawyers involved in the case, Chris McArdle, Sharon Steinerman, and Madeline Byrd from Alston & Byrd, confirmed that the Department of Corrections had agreed to allow the inmates to view the eclipse.
2001, Woodbourne Correctional Facility, Sullivan County, New York. Ruth Fremson/New York Times, via Redux
“In response to our lawsuit alleging religious discrimination, the state of New York has entered into a binding settlement agreement allowing six of our clients to view the solar eclipse in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs. We are pleased to do so,” they stated in a written release.
After this agreement, the lawsuit filed last week was dismissed. The lawsuit also requested solar eclipse glasses.
Daniel Martucello III, the acting secretary of the department, issued a memorandum on March 11 instructing all facilities to follow a holiday schedule on the day of the eclipse. As per the complaint, the inmates were confined to their cells.
The Department of Corrections mentioned that they had initiated an inquiry into religious requests to view the eclipse, including those from six Woodbourne inmates, even before the lawsuit was filed.
The department stated that they “continued to evaluate and address the matter while the lawsuit was ongoing” and ultimately agreed to allow these six individuals to witness the eclipse.
The lawsuit referenced instances of darkness in religious scriptures such as during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Christianity and the eclipse of the sun during significant events in Islam.
On Monday, there will be a visible total solar eclipse in the United States for the first time since August 21, 2017. The next solar eclipse visible in the United States will occur in 2044.
During a total solar eclipse, the sky will darken in the middle of the day.
Despite Woodbourne not being in the path of the total solar eclipse, around 3:25 p.m., the sun will be partially covered by the moon. NASA’s “Solar Eclipse Explorer” website
A total solar eclipse is a great opportunity to learn about the sun
ESA/Royal Observatory of Belgium
A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth approximately every 18 months, and that has been the case throughout human history. Not surprisingly, people have been studying these dramatic events for just as long, with the first records of solar eclipses dating back more than 3,000 years. During that time, we learned an amazing amount about the Sun, Earth, and even the basic laws of physics from total solar eclipses.
For most of history, humans could only see the faint outermost layers of the sun during total days (periods when the moon covers the entire sun’s disc). This faint blanket of plasma, called the corona, has been central to the scientific advances resulting from the study of solar eclipses.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
The corona is home to many of the sun’s most fascinating phenomena, including coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which occur when the sun’s swirling magnetic fields blast bundles or clumps of matter into space. If a CME were to hit Earth, it could damage satellites and power grids, and could be extremely dangerous to astronauts in space, beyond the protection of Earth’s atmosphere.
“The Sun’s magnetic activity changes over time and changes across the star’s surface.” meredith mcgregor at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Currently, there is no good way to predict this activity. But by studying the coronavirus, we may be able to start doing just that.
A total solar eclipse isn’t the only way to see the outermost layer of the sun. There is also a device called a coronagraph, which uses a shade to block the sun’s disk in a type of artificial solar eclipse. These instruments are used not only to study our own star, but also to study other stars that are more distant and look for planets around them that would otherwise be hidden in the glare of starlight. It is also important. “The idea of using coronagraphs to block out the light of other stars and look for extrasolar planets comes from natural solar eclipses,” MacGregor says.
The same dimness that makes the corona difficult to observe in totality also makes it an excellent target for spectroscopy. Spectroscopy works by splitting light into its constituent wavelengths. This allows researchers to determine which elements are present in a material by the unique pattern of wavelengths each element emits or absorbs. Helium was discovered using spectroscopy during a solar eclipse in 1868. This was the first time an element had been discovered by studying the sky.
Shortly thereafter, astronomers discovered what appeared to be another new element in the corona, which they named corona, but it turned out that it was simply iron heated to extraordinary temperatures of several million degrees. found. Even though it was not a new element, it was a puzzling discovery. The surface of the sun is only about 5,600 degrees Celsius, so why is the outermost layer so hot?
I said, “Imagine you’re at a campfire and you start walking away from the campfire. It’s supposed to be cold, but it’s much hotter.” Frederick Bartley at the Ohio State Science and Industry Center. “That’s what’s happening with coronavirus, but no one knows why.”
The eclipse also provided some of the first proofs of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which governs the behavior of large-scale gravity. One of the key predictions of general relativity is that massive objects should bend the trajectory of light as they pass by. Einstein first published the theory in his 1915, and evidence of its truth came in his 1919 when astronomer Arthur Eddington observed starlight bending around the sun during a solar eclipse.
As a total solar eclipse passes over Central and North America this month, astronomers will continue a long-standing tradition of using the totality to observe the sun and precisely how it affects the space around it. It turns out. The sun still has many secrets to unravel, and eclipses are one of the best times to study them.
Millions of people across North America are eagerly awaiting the total solar eclipse on April 8th, which promises to be a spectacular show. This rare event will see the moon completely obscuring the sun, providing a unique opportunity for scientific study.
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy emphasized the significance of this event, stating that it allows scientists to observe the Earth, moon, and sun in a new light. The agency’s primary focus is on studying the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which is usually obscured by the sun’s brightness. During a total solar eclipse, the corona becomes visible as a faint light surrounding a glowing halo.
Researchers are particularly interested in the corona as it plays a crucial role in transferring heat and energy to the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted from the sun’s atmosphere. Understanding the corona’s behavior can provide insights into solar phenomena such as solar flares and geomagnetic storms, which can impact Earth’s communications and power systems.
Scientists like solar astrophysicist Amir Caspi are taking advantage of this celestial event to study the sun’s atmosphere in detail. By using specialized instruments aboard aircraft and satellites, researchers hope to solve long-standing mysteries related to the sun’s corona and the solar wind.
The upcoming solar eclipse will also see spacecraft like NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter observing the sun from different vantage points. These missions aim to gather valuable data about the sun’s atmosphere and solar wind, providing unprecedented insights into solar activity and its potential effects on Earth.
As the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle, researchers are eager to capture any potential solar eruptions and study their impact on space weather. The data collected during the solar eclipse will contribute to our understanding of solar phenomena and improve our ability to forecast space weather events.
NASA’s WB-57 research jet will be used to study solar eclipses
Amir Caspi
Solar scientists across North America will study April’s total solar eclipse to observe the sun’s strangest part: the corona.
Although it is briefly visible as a bright halo that appears only when it is total, it is a million times dimmer in visible light than the rest of the Sun. The corona is also a million degrees warmer than the sun’s surface, or photosphere, which only reaches about 6000 degrees Celsius, and extends millions of kilometers into the solar system.
The corona is where the sun’s magnetic field acts on charged particles to form complex shapes called streamers, loops, plumes, etc. Understanding the corona helps us predict the solar wind, the stream of charged particles that is blown into space from the Sun. This is the cause of the aurora borealis, but it’s also a potential threat to astronauts, satellites, and the power grid.
Expectations for the total solar eclipse on April 8th are extremely high. That’s because the total solar eclipse, in which the sun is completely covered, will last up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, the longest such period on land in more than a decade. We would like to introduce some of the experiments that will be carried out in the future.
solar wind sherpa
Shadia HabalThe solar researcher at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy has been tracking solar eclipses for almost 30 years, using special filters and cameras to measure the temperature of particles from the deepest part of the corona.
Habal’s group, now known as the Solar Wind Sherpas, has traveled to far-flung places, including the Marshall Islands, Kenya, Mongolia, Norway’s Svalbard, Antarctica, and Libya. Habal and her team use filters to image the corona during each solar eclipse, some of which last only a few seconds. By studying the different wavelengths of light emitted by charged iron particles in the corona, temperature can be revealed.
Most often, solar physicists who study the corona rely on space observatory coronagraphs, which use telescope disks to block the sun. But these devices obscure the deepest parts of the corona, towers of plasma called prominences and sources of eruptions called coronal mass ejections.
“Observations during totality are very important,” Habal says. There’s no other way to continuously observe a portion of the Sun’s atmosphere extending from the surface to at least 5 solar radii. “This is fundamental to understanding how the solar atmosphere originates from the Sun and then spreads out into interplanetary space,” she says. Only then will accurate computer models be devised to simulate the corona and help predict space weather.
In the past few years, Habal’s group has made a surprising discovery. The Sun is currently heading towards her solar maximum in 2025, the most active period of his 11-year cycle when solar winds strengthen. Because the corona appears larger during the maximum solar activity during a total solar eclipse, it was thought that there is a close relationship between the solar cycle and the temperature of the corona. But it may not be that simple.
In 2021, Habal and his colleagues published a study based on observations made during 14 total solar eclipses that suggest: The temperature of the corona does not depend on the solar cycle. The lines of the sun’s magnetic field can open and spread outward in the solar wind, or they can close and become hotter, forming a loop. “We found open magnetic field lines everywhere, regardless of the cycle,” Habal says. This means that the temperature of the corona is almost constant.
high flyer
Observations have been impossible since 2019 due to bad weather. “In 2020 there was rain in Chile and in 2021 there were clouds over the Antarctic ocean, but in 2022 there was no solar eclipse,” Habal said.Team members are on an expedition to Antarctica. Benedict Justen Next time, he suggested, they could fly a kite equipped with a spectrometer that separates light into its component wavelengths.
A NASA-funded kite with a wingspan of 6.5 meters was successfully tested in Western Australia during a total solar eclipse in April 2023. It was launched on a kilometer-long tether attached to a vehicle. “It was truly miraculous,” Habal says. Due to bad weather, the team flew for the first time only 45 minutes before the total flight. “It was thrilling.”
This box-shaped kite will fly a NASA-funded scientific instrument to study total solar eclipses.
Clemens Bulman and Benedikt Justen
If the technology works well on future eclipses, more kites will be deployed in the future, and perhaps cameras will be added. “It’s much easier and cheaper than using balloons,” Habal says. But if things don’t work out, there’s always a backup.
During a total solar eclipse, two WB-57 planes will track each other just southwest of the eclipse’s maximum at 740 kilometers per hour, about one-fourth the speed of the moon’s shadow. At this speed, the total velocity increases from 4 minutes and 27 seconds to more than 6 minutes when viewed from the ground. “The WB-57 is perfect for this purpose because the nose cone has a built-in camera and telescope system that allows it to rotate and point at anything no matter what direction the aircraft is flying. ” says Mr. Amir Caspi At the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, he is in charge of the second WB-57 experiment to study the corona in a different way.
Caspi and his team will use a stable platform to image the eclipse using both a visible-light camera and a high-resolution mid-infrared camera developed by NASA. The latter captures light at seven different wavelengths and helps determine which structures in the corona are emitting their own light and which are just scattering light from the Sun’s surface. “To make these observations, we need to be as high up in the atmosphere as possible,” Caspi said. Infrared radiation is difficult to observe from the ground because it is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere.
live streamer
Caspi is also part of the Citizen Continental American Telescope Eclipse (CATE) project. The project is an attempt to create a continuous 60-minute high-definition film using a team of 35 citizen scientists who travel a total path from Texas to Maine. They have the same cameras, telescopes, and training, so they can make exactly the same kinds of observations. “Each team will be spaced out so that each station overlaps its neighboring station,” Caspi said. “If one station can’t get data because of clouds or equipment failure, that’s okay.”
He is hopeful the device will work after it was successfully tested in Western Australia last year. “That was the first solar eclipse I ever saw,” Caspi said. He was busy live streaming on his YouTube, so he could only watch a few seconds. “Our devices couldn’t go online, so we spent the whole time holding our phones in front of our faces.”
To safely observe a solar eclipse, you’ll need some basic equipment
Liansen / Imago / Alamy
If you’re planning on observing the solar eclipse on April 8 this year, whether you’re in the middle of the total solar eclipse or not, you’ll need some gear to fully enjoy it.
The most important rule during a solar eclipse is not to look directly at the sun. This is only possible during totality, a few minutes when the sun’s light is completely blocked by the moon. But for everyone in North America who lives outside the 185-kilometer-wide total orbit, only a partial eclipse will be visible. And for those on the inside of the road, there are still a few hours on either side of totality, but part of the fun is watching the moon slowly move across the sun.
You can use special solar filters, such as eclipse glasses, to look directly at the sun. But you can also view the eclipse using a simple viewer made from a few things you probably have on hand. Here we will introduce how to create two types of Eclipse viewers.
How to make a pinhole camera
All you need for this viewer is paper, aluminum foil, scissors, and a pen. Make a hole in the middle of a piece of paper and cover with foil. Stick the foil in place and use a pen, needle, or other sharp object to make a small hole in the center of the foil. On the day of a solar eclipse, simply hold this up to the sun and place another piece of paper on the ground below. A small bright dot appears on the second sheet of paper. This is a solar projection. As the eclipse progresses and the moon covers more of the sun, you’ll see the shape of the dot change.
How to make a box eclipse viewer
The second type of eclipse viewer works similarly, but the projection is displayed inside a box instead of on the ground. For this, you will need paper, foil, scissors, and a cardboard box. Cereal boxes or shoe boxes work well.
Line one side of the inside of the box with white paper. Then, drill two holes, spaced apart on opposite sides. Tape the foil to one hole and make a small hole in it. The other hole will be a place to look inside.
On the day of the solar eclipse, hold the viewer in front of you with your back to the sun. A projection of the sun should appear on the white paper lined inside the box.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
In April, a total solar eclipse is expected to occur, promising great scientific success thanks to new spacecraft, telescopes, and cosmic coincidences.
The upcoming eclipse will feature the Moon very close to Earth, resulting in a prolonged period of darkness, and an anticipated increase in solar activity with possible dramatic plasma bursts. Additionally, densely populated areas from Mexico to America to Canada will witness this phenomenon.
During the eclipse, citizen scientists among the tens of millions of spectators will assist NASA and other research groups in studying our planet and stars. They will capture images of the sun’s corona as the moon blocks sunlight for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8. The atmosphere will witness calm among birds and animals as darkness envelops midday. Other activities include measuring temperature drops, monitoring clouds, and using amateur radio to assess interruptions in communications.
Simultaneously, a rocket carrying scientific instruments will be launched into the ionosphere near the edge of the universe. This launch, from Wallops Island, Virginia, aims to study the electrically charged region of the atmosphere during the partial solar eclipse, obscuring 81% of the sun. NASA’s high-altitude jets will also be deployed with improved telescopes to observe the eclipse’s effects on the sun’s corona and surrounding dust.
Various scientific activities will take place along the eclipse path across different locations. More than 600 weather balloons will be launched for live-streamed atmospheric studies by university students, irrespective of cloudy skies. The eclipse will provide a rare opportunity to observe the sun’s corona, which is usually hidden by its glare, and offer valuable insights into the corona’s extreme temperatures.
The eclipse will traverse through several U.S. states, into Canada, and finally exit into the Atlantic Ocean. Scientists are looking forward to the event to gather valuable data and insights, especially with the heightened solar activity compared to the 2017 eclipse. With new spacecraft studying the sun and advanced scientific instruments in place, April’s solar eclipse promises a wealth of scientific discoveries.
This eclipse, passing through U.S. radar sites monitoring space weather, will offer a unique opportunity for scientific observation closer to home.
This mesmerizing shot of the perfect alignment of the sun and full moon over Utah's Valley of the Gods last October is raising expectations for next month's total solar eclipse in North America.
This image, a collaboration between photographers Andrew McCarthy and Daniel Stein, shows an annular solar eclipse in which an outer “ring of fire” forms because the moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the sun. I am. The shot is the result of digitally stitching together thousands of images, combining Stein's landscape photography skills with McCarthy's experience capturing images of the sun.
After months of planning, the pair set up cameras and telescopes at carefully selected desert locations to capture the key shots, taking into account weather patterns, eclipse duration, and terrain features. did.
The image was published by Social media March 8th, exactly one month before a total solar eclipse, in which the moon completely covers the sun, will pass over North America. It will blanket much of the continent in darkness or completely, from Canada to the United States and Mexico. The path of the total eclipse will be much wider than the last similar solar eclipse in the region, covering almost 200 kilometers compared to about 115 kilometers in 2017.
“It’s easy to take the sun for granted, but [sun and moon] When combined during a solar eclipse, they are breathtakingly beautiful. I feel that incorporating landscape elements adds a sense of grounding to the images and allows the viewer to connect more deeply with the work,” says Stein.
Astronomers using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array have observed long-lasting aurora-like radio bursts above sunspots. This discovery could help us better understand the behavior of our own star, as well as distant stars that emit similar radio emissions.
excellent other. We discovered radio bursts above sunspots that are similar to the radio emissions from the aurora borealis on Earth. The pink and purple stripes in this figure represent radio wave radiation, with high frequency radio signals near the sunspots, pink being high frequency and purple being low frequency radio signals. The thin lines represent the magnetic field lines above the sunspot. Sunspots are dark areas at the bottom of the sun. Image credit: Sijie Yu, New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“This sunspot's radio emission represents the first detection of its kind,” said Dr. Shijie Yu, an astronomer at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“Such radio bursts were detected about 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles) above sunspots (relatively cool, dark, magnetically active regions of the Sun) that had previously been observed only on planets and other stars. It was done.”
On other planets like Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn, auroras sparkle in the night sky when solar particles get caught up in the planet's magnetic field and are pulled toward the poles where the magnetic field lines converge.
As the particles accelerate toward the poles, they generate powerful radio emissions at frequencies around a few hundred kilohertz that collide with atoms in the atmosphere and emit light as auroras.
The research team's analysis shows that radio bursts on sunspots likely occur in a similar way, when high-energy electrons are captured and accelerated by magnetic fields converging on sunspots. It suggests.
However, unlike Earth's aurora borealis, the radio bursts from sunspots occur at much higher frequencies, from hundreds of thousands of kilohertz to approximately one million kilohertz.
“This is a direct result of the sunspot's magnetic field being thousands of times stronger than Earth's magnetic field,” Yu says.
Similar radio emissions have been previously observed from several types of low-mass stars.
This discovery raises the possibility that auroral-like radio emissions originate from large spots on these stars, in addition to previously proposed polar auroras.
“This discovery excites us as it challenges existing concepts of solar radio phenomena and opens new avenues for exploring magnetic activity both in the Sun and in distant star systems. ” said Dr. Yu.
“NASA's ever-growing heliophysics fleet is well suited to continue investigating the source regions of these radio bursts,” said NASA Goddard Space Flight Center heliophysicist and solar radio researcher. said Dr. Nachimthuk Gopalswamy.
“For example, the Solar Dynamics Observatory continuously monitors the active regions of the Sun, which could be causing this phenomenon.”
In the meantime, the authors plan to review other solar radio bursts to see if any resemble the aurora-like radio bursts they discovered.
“We aim to determine whether some previously recorded solar outbursts may be examples of this newly identified emission,” Dr. Yu said.
of findings appear in the diary natural astronomy.
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S.Yu other. 2024. Long-lasting aurora-like radio emission detected over a sunspot. Nat Astron 8, 50-59; doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02122-6
Photographing a solar eclipse takes a little practice
Sebastian Kennerknecht/Minden Pictures/Alamy
Although some people spend years planning trips to see a total solar eclipse, the moment itself lasts only a few minutes at most. A well-taken photo will help you remember the moment years later.
Fortunately, with a little practice, even beginners can capture great images. Learn how to photograph a solar eclipse without any prior experience or fancy camera equipment.
location, location, location
Of course, you can’t photograph a solar eclipse unless you’re in its path. On April 8, everyone in North America will see at least a partial solar eclipse. A partial solar eclipse must be viewed through eclipse glasses and photographed using a solar filter (see details below).
Only those who have entered the path of totality can see the total solar eclipse. Much of the experience will be the same, with partial stages requiring eclipse glasses and eclipse filters, but midway through totality, where the moon completely blocks the sun for several minutes. Only during this period will the eclipse glasses and solar filters come off, allowing you to see and photograph the sun’s corona with the naked eye. This is the shot everyone wants.
How to photograph a total solar eclipse using a smartphone
If you’re in the middle of a totality, forget about handheld video or zooming in on the eclipse sun. The results of using a smartphone will be disappointingly bleak. Instead, focus on taking wide-angle shots that use silhouettes of people and objects to show off their overall beauty.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
Just before dark, put your phone into wide-angle mode. Focus on something in the middle distance and press and hold your finger on the screen to lock focus. Burst mode allows you to capture images continuously as soon as totality begins. That way, you can catch the “diamond ring,” the last and first beads of sunlight peeking around the moon just before and after totality.
How to photograph a total solar eclipse with a camera
If you have a manual DSLR or mirrorless camera and a variety of lenses, you can choose to shoot wide-angle or close-up of the eclipse. In partial phases, solar filters should be used.
Just before totality, make sure the partially eclipsed Sun is in focus and set your camera to bracketing mode (if you want to take three different exposures of the same image). “Make sure your camera is shooting at a low ISO (200-400) before and after totality to reduce noise,” he says. Mike Mezur, nature photographer. Remember to remove the solar filter during the diamond ring, take a bracket shot during totality, and put the solar filter back on as soon as he sees the second diamond ring at the end of totality.
How to take photos of a partial solar eclipse
To capture impressive shots of a partially eclipsed sun with your smartphone, you need to use a solar filter and keep your smartphone still. The latter can be done by using a tripod and delaying the shutter for a few seconds. There is no problem if you use solar eclipse glasses for the filter. If you have a spare lens, try cutting out one lens and taping it to your phone’s camera lens. Another option is to purchase a smartphone eclipse filter from a company such as: solar snap or business solar.
Smartphones aren’t prone to damage when pointed at the sun, but don’t point your manual camera at a partially chipped sun unless the lens is protected by a solar filter. You can purchase expensive glass solar filters or make your own using inexpensive Baader AstroSolar safety film.
The steps required to take a photo of a partial solar eclipse are a little more involved than taking a standard selfie, but you can practice ahead of time whenever the sun is clearly visible. “Adjust focus and set exposure manually” Karl Heilman, a New York-based photographer who teaches solar eclipse photography workshops. He recommends using an aperture of f/8-11, a shutter speed of 1/800, and ISO 100.
Also, be careful not to spend all your time fiddling with your camera. “As much as you want to photograph the event, put down your camera and take the time to take it in, because this is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever see,” says Mezur.
The Devil’s Comet, known for its occasional explosions, is currently visible in the night sky, and fortunate observers may catch a glimpse of it during the eagerly awaited solar eclipse next month.
Comet 12P/Ponsbrooks earned the nickname “Devil’s Comet” after an eruption last year left behind two distinctive trails of gas and ice resembling devil’s horns.
From the Northern Hemisphere, the comet is currently visible with binoculars or telescopes. As it moves through the inner solar system and approaches its closest point to the sun in mid-April, it may become visible to the naked eye by the end of the month.
Comets typically consist of a core of dust, gas, and ice surrounded by a bright gas cloud called a coma. These objects are remnants from the formation of the solar system and can be several miles wide, according to NASA.
The core of a comet can heat up due to sunlight and solar radiation, sometimes leading to explosive events, as seen with Comet 12P/Ponsbrooks. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere can currently see the comet in the western-northwestern sky in the evening.
The comet is expected to brighten towards the end of the month and, under clear and dark conditions, may remain visible until early May. If the comet experiences significant flares in the coming weeks, it could be visible during the total solar eclipse on April 8 along the path stretching from northeast Texas to Maine.
Despite uncertainties surrounding rare synchronistic events, there is a good chance of spotting the comet on its own in the evening sky. Comet 12P/Pons-Brookes was first discovered in 1812 by French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons and later observed in 1883 by British-American astronomer William Brooks. Due to its 71-year orbit around the sun, sightings of this comet are infrequent.
We're still trying to understand how animals react to solar eclipses
Ş. Uğur OKÇu/1001slide/iStockphoto/Getty Images
You can't miss a total solar eclipse. The sun's disk is completely covered by the moon, casting its shadow across the Earth's surface and causing a sharp drop in temperature. Animals seem to notice, too, and researchers around the world are studying how animals respond.
Researchers have observed all kinds of animals, from wild hippos to pet dogs, during the eclipse. However, some of the most thorough research is done in zoos around the world.
adam hartstone rose North Carolina State University and colleagues conducted one of these large-scale studies It was during a solar eclipse that crossed the United States in 2017. “To be honest, I didn't expect to see anything interesting. Animals always see clouds passing overhead, but sometimes it gets cloudy. I never thought I would care about that at all,” says Heartstone-Rose. “Surprisingly, three-quarters of the species we observed showed some kind of response.”
Most of these animals seemed to think that it was night during totality, the period when the sun was completely hidden behind the moon. This may not come as a surprise to anyone who witnessed a solar eclipse somewhere outdoors, as it has been known for centuries that birds and insects tend to become quiet and search for nests. not.
“Gorillas usually hang out in gardens all day and go indoors at night, so it was like a whole herd of gorillas marching towards the front door and I was confused as to why no one would let me in. ” said Hartstone-Rose. . Similarly, he observed birds going to roost and sleeping. Once the totality was over, the gorillas and birds returned to their normal daytime activities. Previous studies have also observed spiders laying down their nests during totality, and bats briefly emerging from their daytime resting spots.
Another response the researchers found in many animals was anxiety. “We have a lot of experience in assessing anxiety in animals, especially zoo animals, because we are always trying to reduce anxiety,” Hartstone-Rose said. say. “So we are very cognizant of behaviors that may indicate anxiety.”
These responses include pacing, huddled, and increased vocalization. “Giraffes generally only run when they need to run for their lives, but during the eclipse, some giraffes started running like the sky was falling,” Hartstone-Rose said. “Several animals showed such reactions.” For example, baboons were seen running around together in groups.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
Some Galapagos giant tortoises began mating during the eclipse and looked up to the sky after the eclipse passed. Previous research on hippos found that they also remain excited even after the peak of the eclipse.
However, it is difficult to determine which animal behavior is caused by the eclipse itself, and which animal behavior is a reaction to the crowds drawn by the eclipse. This is especially true in zoos where animals and humans are in close contact. For the same reason, it is difficult to draw conclusions about changes in pet behavior during an eclipse.
Hartstone-Rose and her colleagues conducted another survey at the zoo during the total solar eclipse on April 8, observing some of the same species to see if their behavior matched, as well as identifying new species. We plan to collect data on they again, participatory science project Through this, anyone can report animal observations during the eclipse. By exploring the patterns of animal behavior during unusual events like solar eclipses, we may be able to understand animal thought processes more generally.
Pink stripes called prominences that appear during a total solar eclipse
Alan Dyer/StockTrek Images/Getty Images
There is no greater experience in life than witnessing a total solar eclipse. For a while, the sky darkens, the air cools, and stars appear during the day. Some people may go through life without ever seeing a solar eclipse, but for eclipse chasers like me, that’s not enough.
The thrill of anticipating the next total solar eclipse comes from the fact that each one is completely unique. They can last from 1 second to more than 7 minutes and occur on different types of terrain and geology, usually at sea.
The total solar eclipse on April 8 will be visible only to those along the 185-kilometer-wide path, and the sun will be completely eclipsed for up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds. Just before, during, and after these magical minutes, those on the path to wholeness should be aware of a variety of phenomena. If the sky is clear, you can expect the following to happen during a total solar eclipse:
sunspot covered by the moon
This is one of those sights that everyone across North America has a chance to see. The sun is currently nearing its most active period in a cycle called solar maximum, which lasts 11 to 17 years. This means that magnetic activity is at its maximum, causing visible sunspots on the sun’s surface. If these dark, cold, magnetically complex regions are large enough, they can be seen through eclipse glasses at any time. Even for those outside the path of totality, it’s an interesting sight to see them gradually covered by the moon during an eclipse.
band of shadow on the ground
For a few minutes to about 30 seconds before the sun is completely eclipsed, only a thin crescent moon appears from the surface of the sun, called the photosphere. When this happens, you may see wavy lines moving quickly across the light-colored surface. “a [bed] A shadow band may appear on sheets or other white surfaces placed on the ground.” frank maloney at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. “These are due to clumps of photosphere light that travel through the atmosphere and essentially ‘flicker’ in roughly parallel bands.” Whether they are visible or not depends on the amount of turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
Darkness, Bailey’s Beads, and the First Diamond Ring
Just before totality, the last 0.1 percent of the sun disappears and light levels plummet. Now come the beads. “For a few seconds before and after totality, the last bits of the Sun can be seen shining through the moon’s irregular surface, so you might be able to see Bailey’s beads,” Maloney says. The final bead sparkles momentarily like a jewel, just as the sun’s corona appears, creating a brief “diamond halo” effect around the moon. It’s safe to view a diamond ring without eclipse glasses, but most observers will still have their eclipse glasses on and will miss it.
solar corona
One of the most amazing sights in nature is here. “During totality, when the sun’s photosphere is eclipsed, other parts of the sun’s atmosphere, the white corona and the pink and purple chromosphere, become visible,” Maloney said. Darkness has arrived and you can safely remove your eclipse glasses and view the corona with the naked eye. As the Sun approaches the most active phase of its cycle, the corona is expected to resemble a spiky star. If you have binoculars, you can see the thin tendrils growing inside the corona.
pinkish-red chromosphere and prominences
Just before the beginning and end of totality, the chromosphere, the lower region of the sun’s atmosphere, can be seen as a pink band that disappears during the eclipse and reappears on the opposite side as the moon crosses the sun. Masu. You may also see prominences, pinkish-red towers, or loops of plasma and magnetic field structures protruding from the corona visible around the moon.
second diamond ring
The most impactful diamond ring effect appears at the end of the whole thing. Small beads of sunlight appear between the moon’s peaks and valleys, then merge into a single bright diamond ring, the appearance of which marks the end of the whole thing. It’s safe to watch for a few seconds, but once sunlight returns, you’ll need to put your eclipse glasses back on if you want to continue seeing the partial phase.
Once the totality is over, the band of shadow may be seen again. Of course, he can put the eclipse glasses back on and watch the sun and sunspots slowly being exposed for at least another hour.
Watching a total solar eclipse is an experience you’ll never forget, but if you don’t take the right precautions, it could end up for the wrong reasons. Looking directly at the sun can be dangerous, so read on to learn how to safely observe a solar eclipse and what you need to prepare in advance.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible to more than 42 million people across North America. The total path is only about 185 kilometers wide and touches Mexico, 13 U.S. states, and parts of Canada. Most people in North America will experience this phenomenon as a partial solar eclipse, rather than a total solar eclipse.
“For those outside the path of totality, the moon will never completely cover the sun,” he says. Jeff Todd At Prevent Blindness, a Chicago-based eye care advocacy group. No matter how you look at it, eye protection is essential.
“To avoid damaging your eyes, you should wear eclipse glasses throughout the eclipse,” says Todd. Otherwise, you risk burning your retina. This phenomenon, also known as “eclipse blindness,” can occur painlessly and can be permanent. It may take several days after seeing a solar eclipse before you realize something is wrong. Sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection. However, it is perfectly safe to wear eclipse glasses over your prescription glasses.
How to safely view a solar eclipse
The prize for those traveling the path of totality is seeing the sun’s corona with the naked eye. However, it is only visible for a short few minutes during totality. Otherwise, partial phases will be visible and must be observed through eclipse glasses. Todd says people on the path to totality should wear eclipse glasses at all times, except during totality, a brief period of darkness when the sun is completely hidden by the moon. “Only then can you take off your eclipse glasses,” he said.
It is important for those in the path of totality to use their naked eyes to view the Sun during a total solar eclipse. “You have to look without a protective filter, otherwise you won’t see anything,” he says. ralph chow At the University of Waterloo, Canada.
solar eclipse 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
Just before totality ends, light from the Sun’s photosphere flows between the Moon’s peaks and valleys. Called Bailey beads, they appear for a few seconds and eventually become a flashing “diamond ring,” exposing enough of the sun’s photosphere for sunlight to return. “It gives us ample warning that it’s time to resume viewing partial solar eclipses with protective filters,” Chow said.
Which solar eclipse glasses should I buy?
It is important to wear eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. ISO 12312-2 applies to products used for direct viewing of the sun. “Look for the ISO standard label and buy your glasses from a trusted source,” says Todd. “Get your glasses early in time for the eclipse.” Before you buy, make sure the company or brand is listed on the American Astronomical Society’s site. A vetted list of suppliers and resellers.
Do not use Eclipse glasses with binoculars or telescopes. If you want to use these instruments to observe a solar eclipse, you’ll need to attach a solar filter over the objective lens (the lens opposite the one you’re looking through). Never place solar filters or eclipse glasses between the telescope eye and the eyepiece or binocular eyecup.
Another way to safely view the eclipse is with a pinhole projector. This is a simple device that projects an image of the sun onto paper or cardboard through a small hole. An even easier method is to use a colander or a small hole in a spaghetti spoon. This projects a small crescent sun onto every surface.
A solar eclipse is a surprising cosmic coincidence that causes the moon to appear as large as the sun.
Chance Bush/Albuquerque Journal (via AP)
People travel thousands of miles to see a solar eclipse. There’s nothing like darkness falling and the excitement ripple through the crowd. A total solar eclipse will soon grace the skies in parts of Central America and North America, and some places outside the total path will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. So now is the perfect time to ask what exactly a solar eclipse is.
When one celestial object is hidden from view by another celestial object moving between them, astronomers call the event an “occultation.” Strictly speaking, a total solar eclipse is the occultation of the sun by the moon.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon and sun line up perfectly, with the moon moving in front of the sun and blocking nearly all of the sun’s light. From the path of totality, or the area of the Earth where a total solar eclipse is visible, the sun almost disappears. This part of the eclipse can last up to 7.5 minutes. The solar eclipse on April 8th will last 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
What causes solar eclipses?
There are many different types of solar eclipses, but all occur when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking some or all of the light seen from certain parts of the Earth. By pure cosmic coincidence, the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but the sun is about 400 times farther away, so the moon and sun appear to be the same size in the sky. When the two line up perfectly during the new moon phase, when the moon is between the Earth and the sun, the moon can block all of the sun’s light. This is a total solar eclipse.
During a solar eclipse, the moon casts two shadows. The central part of the shadow where light does not reach is called the umbra. The outer partial shadow is known as the penumbra. Only light coming from part of the sun’s disk can reach here. During a total solar eclipse, the path of totality is land within the umbra. On April 8, the road will be 185 kilometers wide and will cross North America from Mexico through the United States and Canada. However, the total path can be as narrow as 150 kilometers. The penumbra covers a much larger area and a partial solar eclipse can be seen in those locations.
Conceptual Imagery Lab at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
What types of solar eclipses are there?
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks only part of the sun’s light. This occurs when the viewer is within the penumbra. Before and after totality, you can see the moon slowly eclipsing the sun in a partial solar eclipse. However, because the moon’s central shadow completely misses the Earth, only a partial solar eclipse may be visible from anywhere on Earth.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s elliptical orbit moves it farther from Earth than normal, blocking most of the sun’s light but leaving behind a so-called ring of fire. A hybrid solar eclipse occurs when some parts of the world see a total solar eclipse, while other parts see an annular solar eclipse. Total solar eclipses, hybrid solar eclipses, and annular solar eclipses are all types of “central” solar eclipses, meaning that the umbra is projected somewhere on Earth.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
How often do solar eclipses occur?
Every year, anywhere from two to five solar eclipses are visible somewhere around the world. A total solar eclipse occurs on average every 18 months. However, in certain locations on Earth, the portion of the Earth where a total solar eclipse is visible is so small that a total solar eclipse is only seen about once every 400 years.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves through the shadow that Earth casts in space. These events always occur during a full moon when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth’s sun. But they don’t happen every full moon because our moon’s orbit is tilted around the Earth compared to Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Do solar eclipses always occur in pairs?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Sun, and Moon line up (a so-called syzygation), so a solar eclipse is always accompanied by a lunar eclipse two weeks before and after it. This year, a lunar eclipse will occur on March 24th, two weeks before the solar eclipse on April 8th. However, it will be a penumbral lunar eclipse, meaning only the Earth’s outer shadow will hide the moon.
In a total solar eclipse, the moon blocks the sun’s light.
Scott Sadie/tahoelight.com/Alamy
A total solar eclipse is coming to North America. On April 8, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, perfectly aligned to block the entire disk of the sun in a phenomenon called totality. It will be visible from a strip of land that stretches from Mexico across the United States into Canada.
The eclipse will begin in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between North America and New Zealand, and will begin to be visible off the west coast of Mexico at 8:42 a.m. local time. It begins as a partial solar eclipse, with the moon slowly moving to cover more and more of the sun. The totality event was first observed in Mexico at 9:38 a.m. local time.
As the sun and moon move across the sky, the eclipse will be visible over a 185-kilometre-wide area of land known in the United States as totality. It will pass through 13 states, from Texas to Maine, and enter southern Ontario, Canada. The last place to see the eclipse on land will be Newfoundland, where the sun’s visibility will return to normal at 5:16 p.m. local time.
The duration of totality varies by location, from less than 2 minutes to nearly 4.5 minutes. This is because the moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, and neither is the Earth’s orbit around the sun, so the distances between the three bodies change throughout the day.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon’s shadow moves across the ground at speeds of over 2400 kilometers per hour, forming a dark patch that darts along the ground. In this shadow, the temperature drops rapidly and the sky becomes strangely dark, making planets and stars visible even during the day. Total solar eclipses are important to scientists because they provide a rare opportunity to measure the outermost layer of the sun, called the corona. This tenuous layer is much fainter than the Sun’s disk, making it difficult to observe normally.
Viewers in areas just outside the total path will also be able to see the eclipse, but it will only be partial, with the moon covering a smaller portion of the sun. A partial solar eclipse will last about 3 hours. Partial solar eclipses, which include the period just before and after a total solar eclipse, must be viewed through a special solar filter. Such filters are available in the form of eclipse glasses. However, regular sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection for the viewer’s eyes. Do not look directly at the sun without a solar filter, even during a partial solar eclipse.
If you don’t have eclipse glasses, don’t despair. A partial solar eclipse can still be seen, just not directly. You can use any object with holes, such as a colander or paper with pinholes, to project an image in the shape of an eclipse onto a screen or onto the ground. Even between the leaves of the trees the ground is speckled with strange sunlight that changes like a crescent moon.
Passengers who book special Delta flights will have the opportunity to witness the total solar eclipse in April from a unique perspective at 30,000 feet.
The airline revealed on Monday that it will be offering flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit on April 8, allowing passengers to maximize their time within the eclipse’s “total path.”
The eclipse is anticipated to be a significant event as it travels through various populated areas of North America, including parts of Mexico, the continental United States, and eastern Canada. In the U.S. alone, millions of sky gazers from Texas to Maine will have the chance to witness this rare astronomical occurrence.
A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light. Within the approximately 100-mile-wide strip known as the Path of Totality, observers will witness the moon completely obscuring the sun, creating a darkened afternoon sky.
Delta Airlines is providing eclipse enthusiasts with another option to experience the April event. The flight announced on Monday will be the airline’s second full charter scheduled for April 8. The initial flight from Austin, Texas to Detroit was announced on February 19 and sold out within 24 hours, according to the company.
The Austin to Detroit flight (Delta Flight 1218) is on an A220-300 aircraft, departing from Texas at 12:15pm Central Time and arriving in Detroit at 4:20pm Eastern Time.
The flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit (Delta Flight 1010) is operated on a large A321neo plane, departing Texas at 12:30 PM (Central Time) and landing in Detroit at 4:20 PM (Eastern Time).
While the flights are designed to maximize time within the total path, they are subject to potential changes due to factors like weather conditions and air traffic control.
For detailed booking information, visit the following website: Delta.com.
The upcoming solar eclipse is poised to be a major draw for travel and tourism, with many businesses already capitalizing on it. Hotels are offering special solar eclipse packages, while state tourism departments are organizing various events tied to the cosmic phenomenon.
During the April eclipse, the total path will traverse through states like Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In certain areas of Michigan and Tennessee, totality may be visible if weather conditions are clear.
In other parts of the continental U.S., observers will witness a partial solar eclipse, where the moon appears to “take a bite” out of the sun and only partially obscures it in the sky.
To safely observe the eclipse, use eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector to avoid eye damage. Never look directly at the sun during a solar eclipse, even when it is partially or mostly covered by the moon.
Sagittarius C is located just 300 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
This image of the Sagittarius C region from ESO's Very Large Telescope includes hundreds of thousands of stars. Image credit: ESO/F. Nogueras-Lara.
The center of the Milky Way is the most prolific star-forming region in the entire galaxy.
But astronomers have discovered only a fraction of the young stars they had expected. There is “fossil” evidence that many more stars than we actually see were born recently.
This is because heading to the center of the Milky Way is not an easy task. Clouds of dust and gas block the light from the star, obscuring visibility.
“On average by volume, the galactic center stands out as the most prolific star-forming environment in the galaxy,” said ESO astronomer Francisco Nogueras Lara.
“Over the past 30 million years, we have witnessed the formation of about 1 million stars.”
“But crowding and high extinction rates have hampered their discovery, and so far only a fraction of the young star's expected mass has been confirmed.”
By studying the stellar population of Sagittarius C, Dr. Lara aimed to detect young stars hidden in the galactic center.
He found that Sagittarius C is much richer in young stars than other regions of the galactic center.
“We found that Sagittarius C contains the solar mass of hundreds of thousands of young stars,” Dr. Lara said.
“We compared our results to a recently discovered population of young stars in Sagittarius B1, located at the opposite end of the nuclear star disk.”
“The young stars in Sagittarius C are estimated to be about 20 million years old and likely represent the next evolutionary step for the slightly younger stars in Sagittarius B1.”
“Our discovery contributes to addressing the discrepancy between the expected number of young stars at the center of galaxies and the number of detected stars, and sheds light on their evolution in this extreme environment.”
“As a secondary result, we discovered that Sagittarius C has a population of intermediate-aged stars (approximately 50% of the mass of stars between 2 billion and 7 billion years old), which is composed of a nuclear stellar disk. It does not exist in the innermost region of the world (which is dominated by stars older than 7 billion years).
“This confirms the existence of an age gradient, driving the formation of an inside-out nuclear star disk.”
of findings appear in the diary astronomy and astrophysics.
_____
F. Nogueras-Lara other. 2024. Hunt young stars at the center of the galaxy. Solar masses of hundreds of thousands of young stars in the Sagittarius C region. A&A 681, L21; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202348712
Griffiths appears to have demonstrated to her how education is done. “He pointed to a hanging sphere in the science museum that changed its appearance from planet to planet and declared, 'This is Mars!'” An employee gently informed him that it was actually the sun. All I had to do was give it to you. Still, Griffith exclaimed, “That's Saturn!” As the Earth changes. The employee interjected. “No, no, that’s Jupiter.”
Back in 1991, one of the first Ig Nobel Prizes was awarded to then-U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle. Quayle was given additional duties, and he became the chairman of something called the National Space Council. He was often in the news for educating the masses. statement Something like:
“[It’s] The time has come for humanity to enter the solar system. ”
“We saw the pictures [of Mars] We believe that where there are canals, there is water. ”
“Really, very strange people can get into sensitive positions and have a huge impact on history.”
Ig Nobel Prize Quote explained He praised Quayle for being a “consumer of time and occupier of space” who “demonstrated the need for science education better than anyone else.”
As we watch Vim for Education spread from country to country, the feedback is encouraging. No matter where the sky is, the sky is the limit.
base notes
Andy Howe celebrates a somewhat musical discovery about fish that spend much of their time on the muddy ocean floor. Does Andy Howe delight in details? And how! He said: nature communications) This concerns the apparently suspicious noises of the Plainfin Midshipman, a species also known as `california singing fish'`. They are endowed with a “sonic swim bladder” that allows them to communicate through modulated, trumpet-like hums and growls. There is a double resonance here as the lead author is his A Bass. ”
“Bass” is Andrew Bass, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University in New York. When Bass isn't out at sea chasing fish, he spends his time at the office. mud hole. I can't help but notice that Bass's feedback is imbued with nominative determinism.
light entertainment
Retired internist John Innes rallies in Call for Feedback (December 9, 2023) to refute the old adage that “Medicine is primarily about entertaining the patient; nature cures disease.” or asked for first-hand testimony in the affirmative.
He sets the scene first. “In the 1890s, Faroese and Danish physician Niels Finsen showed that ultraviolet light could treat tuberculosis (TB) in the skin. This work earned Finsen the Nobel Prize in 1903. The first studies used artificial ultraviolet light, which was widely used to treat tuberculosis in the 1920s and 1930s.
“However, it was already known that natural ultraviolet light was present in sunlight. This was one of the factors that encouraged the development of sanatoriums for the treatment of tuberculosis. In the 1950s, antibiotics were introduced. After its introduction changed the treatment of tuberculosis, ultraviolet light therapy was lost to history.
John then describes his experiences as a physician specializing in infectious diseases in Birmingham, England in the 1980s: At that time, all new entrants to nurse training were to be offered the tuberculosis vaccine if they had not already done so. In her case, an ulcer appeared at the injection site and gradually enlarged over two months to about 8 centimeters in width. I recommended antibiotics. However, she did not have time to pick up her prescription because she was scheduled to go on vacation the next morning. So I told her to postpone her treatment and come back in 4 weeks.
“She came back after spending two weeks sunbathing on the beach near Tangier. The ulcer had healed and she didn't need anything more. So she left it alone while nature healed her illness. was enjoying it.”
loop soup
What is loop soup? It's hard to say. It's difficult to say succinctly.
Wojtek Furmanski and Adam Kolawa of the California Institute of Technology appear to have injected the phrase into the world of physics in 1987 in the middle of a 35-page paper called `Yang-Mills vacuum: an attempt at lattice loop calculus`Published in the magazine Nuclear Physics B.
Loop soup is only mentioned once. This is their word. “This medium is still far from an asymptotic ‘loop soup’ and is beyond our reach.”
This text may be incomprehensible to those without a deep education in nuclear physics. Still, the phrase stuck. Just 33 years later, Valentino Voigt and Matthew Kleban of New York University `New recipe for Brownian Loop Soup`This may definitely whet your appetite.
Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.
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NASA’s Stardust mission returned rocky material from the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2 (pronounced “Wild-2”) to Earth on January 15, 2006. Comet Wild 2 contains volatile ice, which may have accreted beyond Neptune’s orbit. The Wild 2 sample was expected to be rich in primordial molecular cloud material, i.e., interstellar and circumstellar particles. Instead, it turns out that Wild 2’s interstellar component is very small, and nearly all of the returned particles formed in a wide and diverse region of the solar nebula. Although some features of the Wild 2 material resemble primitive chondrite meteorites, the diversity of its composition attests to a very different origin and evolutionary history from asteroids. Wild 2 has very little impact debris from asteroids, and may have accreted dust from the outer and inner Solar System before the solar nebula dispersed.
Comet 81P/Wild 2. Image courtesy of NASA.
wild 2 is a small comet in the shape of a flat sphere, approximately 1.65 x 2 x 2.75 km (1.03 x 1.24 x 1.71 miles).
Discovered by Paul Wilde on January 6, 1978, this comet has an orbital period of 6.2 years.
Wild 2 is known as a fresh periodic comet. It orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, but it did not always follow this orbit.
Originally, this comet’s orbit was between the orbits of Uranus and Jupiter. On September 9, 1974, a gravitational interaction between Wild 2 and Jupiter changed its orbital period from her 43 years to her 6.2 years.
“Eighteen years after NASA’s Stardust mission returned the first known sample from a comet to Earth, the true nature of the icy object is coming into focus,” says the new study. said author Ryan Oriol, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.
“When Stardust launched in 1999, many scientists predicted that the comet’s rocky material would be dominated by the primordial dust that built our solar system, the ‘stardust’ from which the mission takes its name. I was there.”
“But the actual samples told a different story: Wild 2 contained a potpourri of dust formed from various early events in the solar system’s history.”
For Dr. Oriole, the discovery that Wild 2 contained records of “local” events was exciting.
“This comet was a witness to the events that shaped the solar system into what we see today,” he said.
“Because the comet was kept in a cold storage in space for almost its entire life, it avoided the heat and water alterations seen in asteroid samples.”
“Comet Wild 2 contains things never seen before in a meteorite, including rare carbon and iron assemblages and precursors to the igneous globules that make up the most common type of meteorite. . And all of these objects are beautifully preserved within Wild 2.”
“Almost 20 years later, scientists have had enough time to analyze the tiny amounts of material returned from the Stardust mission, less than a milligram (think a grain of sand). You might see it.”
“But this material is dispersed into thousands of tiny particles on a collector the size of a pizza.”
“Almost every Wild 2 particle is unique and has a different story to tell. Extracting and analyzing these grains is a time-consuming process. But the scientific benefits are huge. .”
“Most of the Wild 2 particles have not yet been studied and certainly hold many more surprises. Over time, we will be able to study the samples using new techniques that did not exist at the start of the mission.” Masu.”
“Stardust samples, microscopic particles taken from celestial bodies less than two miles wide, contain a deep record of the past that spans billions of miles. After 18 years of studying this comet, we have We now have a better understanding of the dynamic formative period.”
study Published in Journal November 2023 issue geochemistry.
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Ryan C. Oriol. 2023. Comet 81P/Wild 2: A record of the solar system’s wild youth. geochemistry 83 (4): 126046; doi: 10.1016/j.chemer.2023.126046
Bride, groom and wedding guests watching solar eclipse in Mexico
Martin Zetina/AP/Alamy
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible in North America from a strip of land that begins in Mexico and ends in Canada, passing through 13 U.S. states.
A solar eclipse can be seen from many different locations, but it's important to know exactly where to look to get the full experience. The part of the Earth's surface where a total solar eclipse is visible is called the total path, and is only 185 kilometers wide. Viewers in other parts of North America will see a partial solar eclipse.You can check This NASA map confirm.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned and the Moon blocks the sun's light. If aligned properly, it is large enough to cause a total solar eclipse. The moon orbits the Earth each month at a tilt of just over 5 degrees compared to the Earth's orbit around the sun. This means that it is not very often that the three line up perfectly.
All solar eclipses start out partial, with only part of the sun blocked out. However, a total solar eclipse has a special middle part called totality, where the moon blocks out all of the sun's light.
Never look directly at the sun during a partial solar eclipse. You can use eclipse glasses to view it, but not regular sunglasses. Observe the event indirectly by using eclipse filters for binoculars or telescopes designed for this purpose, or by creating an eclipse viewer using a pinhole camera that projects the eclipse. You can also. You can also use something like a colander with small holes in it.
A partial solar eclipse will last just under 3 hours. For those lucky enough to step onto the path to wholeness, the 2024 event will be special. Some total solar eclipses last longer than others because the moon's orbit moves it closer and further away from Earth at different times. This totality lasts more than four minutes. Totality is the only time you can see the sun directly without a solar filter.
A total solar eclipse is an amazing experience. Temperatures drop sharply, days become darker, and stars and planets become visible.Even before and after totality, strange shadows and so-called diamond ring – A bright flash of light that occurs when sunlight passes along the uneven surface of the moon.
Groundbreaking research has identified a molecular photoswitch that can improve solar energy storage. Researchers used quantum computing to analyze large databases to find the best molecules for the technology, taking an important step in harnessing emissions-free solar energy. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Optimization of molecular photoswitches for solar power generation.
Molecular photoswitches that can both convert and store energy could potentially make harvesting solar energy more efficient. The research team quantum computing A method of finding molecular structures that is particularly efficient for this purpose.As the team explained in the journal Angewante ChemieTheir procedure was based on a dataset of more than 400,000 molecules that were screened to find the best molecular structures for solar energy storage materials.
MOST project: new solar energy pathways
Currently, solar energy is used directly to generate electricity or indirectly through energy stored in thermal storage. A third route could involve first storing energy from the sun in a photosensitive material and then releasing it when needed. The EU-backed project MOST (‘Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage’) is researching molecules such as photoswitches that can absorb and store solar energy at room temperature, in order to make the use of completely emission-free solar energy a reality. Masu.
A research team led by Kurt V. Mikkelsen of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Kasper Moss Poulsen of the Polytechnic University of Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain, took a closer look at the photoswitches that are ideal for this task. They studied molecules known as bicyclic dienes, which switch to a high-energy state when exposed to light. The most prominent example of this bicyclic diene system is known as norbornadiene quadricyclane, but a vast number of similar candidates exist. The researchers explain: “The resulting chemical space consists of approximately 466,000 bicyclic dienes that we screened for potential applicability to MOST technology.”
Innovative screening methods and promising discoveries
Screening a database of this size is typically done as follows: machine learning, But this would require large amounts of training data based on real-world experiments, which the team didn’t have. Screening and evaluation of database molecules using previously developed algorithms and the new evaluation score “Eta” yielded clear results. All six of his top-scoring molecules differed from the original norbornadienequadricyclane system in important structural respects. The researchers concluded that this structural change, an enlargement of the molecular bridge between the two carbon rings of the bicyclic moiety, allowed the new molecule to store more energy than the original norbornadiene.
The researchers’ work demonstrates the potential for optimizing solar energy storage molecules. However, new molecules must first be synthesized and tested under real conditions. “Even if systems can be prepared synthetically, there is no guarantee that they will be soluble in the relevant solvents and will actually photoswitch in high yields, as we envisioned with Eta, or “There is no guarantee that there will be any optical switching at all,” the authors caution.
Impact and prospects
Nevertheless, the team developed a new large-scale training data set for machine learning algorithms, shortening difficult pre-synthetic research steps for chemists working on such systems in the future. The authors envision that this much larger reservoir of bicyclic dienes could be exploited to study photoswitches for a variety of applications, making it easier to tailor molecules to specific requirements. doing.
References: “Bicycles for Molecular Solar Energy Storage Candidates” by Andreas Arbus Hillers Bentsen, Jacob Linge Erholm, Oskar Berlin Ober, Helen Herzel, Kaspar Moss Poulsen, and Kurt V. Mikkelsen. Exploring the chemical space of formula dienes”, July 25, 2023, Angewante Chemie International Edition. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202309543
Astronomical observations have shown that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are abundant and widespread in the interstellar medium. A PAH molecule consists of several adjacent aromatic rings terminated with hydrogen. In the new study, scientists conducted laboratory isotope analysis of PAHs in samples of the asteroid Ryugu and meteorite Murchison collected by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft. They argue that at least some of the Ryugu PAHs formed in cold interstellar clouds and therefore must be older than our solar system.
This image of asteroid Ryugu was taken on June 26, 2018 by the Telescopic Optical Navigation Camera (ONC-T) aboard JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft from a distance of 13.7 miles (22 km).Image provided by: JAXA / University of Tokyo / Kochi University / Rikkyo University / Nagoya University / Chiba Institute of Technology / Meiji University / University of Aizu / AIST
PAHs contain about 20% of the carbon in the interstellar medium.
These can be produced in the circumstellar environment (temperatures above 1000 K), in cold interstellar clouds (temperatures around 10 K), or by the processing of carbon-rich dust particles.
“PAHs are organic compounds composed of carbon and hydrogen that are common on Earth but also occur in celestial bodies such as asteroids and meteorites,” said study co-author and director of the Western Australian Center for Organic Isotope Geochemistry. said researcher Professor Kriti Grice. Curtin University.
“We conducted controlled combustion experiments on plants in Australia and found that PAHs found in debris from the asteroid Ryugu returned to Earth by a Japanese spacecraft in 2020, and comparable to the Murchison meteorite that landed in Australia in 1969. I compared them physically.”
“We analyzed the bonds between light and heavy carbon isotopes in PAHs to reveal the temperatures at which they form.”
“Selected PAHs from Ryugu and Murchison were found to have different characteristics, with smaller ones probably forming in cold outer space and larger ones probably forming in warmer regions such as near stars or inside celestial bodies. It is thought to have been formed in the environment.”
A model of the molecular structure of ribose and an image of the Murchison meteorite. Image credit: Yoshihiro Furukawa.
“Understanding the isotopic composition of PAHs can help elucidate the conditions and environments in which these molecules were formed, providing insight into the history and chemistry of astronomical objects such as asteroids and meteorites,” says the study. said Dr. Alex Holman, co-author and fellow Westerner. Australian Center for Organic and Isotopic Geochemistry at Curtin University.
“This research gives us valuable insight into how organic compounds form extraterrestrially and where in the universe they come from.”
“Through the use of high-tech methods and creative experiments, we show that select PAHs on asteroids can form even in cold space.”
of result Published in this week’s magazine science.
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Sarah S. Zeichner other. 2023. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Ryugu samples formed in the interstellar medium. science 382 (6677): 1411-1416; doi: 10.1126/science.adg6304
by Lindsay Dorman, NASA Earth Observatory December 20, 2023
December 17, 2023
Increased solar activity has led to widespread aurora borealis across Canada.
A surge in solar activity in mid-December 2023 caused energetic particles to collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, creating rippling auroras across Earth’s northern latitudes. VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) NOAA– NASA
The Suomi NPP satellite captured this image of light from the aurora borealis over western Canada in the early morning hours of December 17, 2023. VIIRS’s day/night band detects nighttime light at wavelengths ranging from green to near-infrared, using filtering techniques to observe signals such as city lights, moonlight reflections, and the aurora borealis.
Origin of the aurora borealis
These auroras may have resulted from several coronal mass ejections. observed December 14th and 15th.mild to moderate Magnetic storm situation Weather forecasts were expected within days, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. coronal mass ejection contains large amounts of plasma It is emitted from the sun’s corona and carries an embedded magnetic field.Interactions between these emissions from the Sun and Earth’s upper atmosphere produce light Produces a colorful aurora.
Increased solar activity
Solar activity is increasing as we approach the peak of solar cycle 25, which is predicted to occur on or around the year 25. July 2025. The Sun’s magnetic field reverses at the peak of these cycles, and each cycle lasts about 11 years. Scientists track fluctuations in solar activity by monitoring the number and location of sunspots, the dark spots on the sun’s surface that are the main cause of solar eruptions.
Relationship between aurora and solar flares
The aurora seen here occurred several days after the aurora borealis. strongest solar flare How has this solar cycle been so far? While coronal mass ejections take days to reach Earth, solar flares can reach Earth in minutes and disrupt radio communications. Coronal mass ejections often, but not always, occur in parallel with solar flares.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin using VIIRS day/night data from the Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership.
This artist’s concept shows the Wide Field Infrared Surveyor (WISE) spacecraft orbiting the Earth. The NEOWISE mission will find and characterize asteroids. Credit: NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology
Infrared space telescopes searching for asteroids and comets have collected vast amounts of observations, but are now at the mercy of the sun, which is accelerating their demise.
NASA’s Neowise It’s been a busy 10 years. Since its resumed mission began on December 13, 2013, the space telescope has discovered once-in-a-lifetime comets, observed more than 3,000 near-Earth objects, strengthened international planetary defense strategies, and It has helped other NASA missions rendezvous with distant space. asteroid. This is just a partial list of achievements.
But all good things must come to an end. Solar activity is pushing NEOWISE (short for Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) out of orbit. By early 2025, the spacecraft is expected to have fallen far enough into Earth’s atmosphere that it will become unusable. Eventually it will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up completely.
Approximately every 11 years, the Sun goes through a cycle of increasing activity, peaking during a period called solar maximum. Explosive events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections will become more frequent, heating the Earth’s atmosphere and causing it to expand. Atmospheric gases increase the drag on satellites as they orbit the Earth, slowing them down. Now, as the Sun approaches its next maximum, NEOWISE will no longer be able to maintain its orbit above the atmosphere.
Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE is a composite of several heat-sensitive infrared images taken by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission on March 27, 2020. Appears as a blurry red dot. Credit: NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology
“The mission has been planning for this day for a long time. After several years of lull, the sun is waking up again,” said NEOWISE co-principal investigator and researcher at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. said Joseph Masiello, a scientist with the organization IPAC. “With us at the mercy of solar activity and no means of staying in orbit, NEOWISE is now slowly spiraling back to Earth.”
wise beginnings
The past decade has meant a second life for the spacecraft. Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, NEOWISE is part of another mission launched in 2009, the Wide-Field Infrared Surveyor (wise). Data from WISE and NEOWISE is used to study distant galaxies, cold stars, and explosions. white dwarf Stars, gas-emitting comets, near-Earth asteroids, etc.
In 2010, WISE achieved its scientific goal of conducting an all-sky infrared survey with far greater sensitivity than previous surveys. WISE mission also discovered tens of millions of actively feeding supermassive black holes across the sky.through disc detective In this project, citizen scientists used WISE data to find circumstellar disks, which are clouds of gas, dust, and debris that rotate around stars.
Infrared wavelengths, which are invisible to the naked eye, are emitted by warm objects. To ensure that the heat generated by WISE itself does not interfere with observations in infrared wavelengths, the spacecraft relied on cryogenic coolant. NASA put the spacecraft into hibernation in February 2011 after it ran out of coolant and WISE mapped the sky twice.
Without the coolant, space telescopes could no longer observe the coldest objects in the universe, but they could still see near-Earth asteroids and comets heated by the sun. So NASA restarted the spacecraft in 2013 with a more specialized role in mind. The goal is to support planetary defense efforts by investigating and studying objects that may wander into Earth’s orbit and pose a potential collision hazard.
In addition to relying on missions to explore these objects, astronomers use that data to understand the object’s size, albedo, or how much sunlight its surface reflects, and the composition of its structure. You can also collect clues about the minerals and rocks you find.
“NEOWISE demonstrates the importance of deploying infrared space exploration telescopes as part of NASA’s planetary defense strategy while also monitoring objects in our solar system and beyond,” said lead researcher Amy, from the University of Arizona in Tucson. Mainzer said. .
Mainzer also leads NASA’s future plans. NEO surveyor, built on the NEOWISE tradition. The next generation of infrared space telescopes will search for celestial objects close to the Earth, such as dark asteroids and comets that do not reflect much visible light, or objects that approach the Earth from the direction of the sun. Sun. The launch is scheduled for 2027. JPL-Managed missions will also explore objects known as Earth Trojans – asteroids that lead or follow our planet’s orbit. The first one is wise discovery In 2011.
Comet NEOWISE and beyond
Since becoming NEOWISE, the mission has scanned the entire sky more than 20 times and made 1.45 million infrared measurements on more than 44,000 Solar System objects. This includes over 3,000 near-Earth objects, 215 of which were discovered by his NEOWISE. Data from the mission helped refine the orbits of these objects, while also measuring their sizes.
Its strength is in revealing the characteristics of asteroids near the Earth. In 2021, NEOWISE became a key component of an international planetary defense exercise focused on the dangerous asteroid Apophis.
The mission also discovered 25 comets, including long-period comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE). The comet was a dazzling object visible in the Northern Hemisphere for several weeks in 2020, making it the first comet to be visible to the naked eye since 2007, when Comet McNaught was primarily visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
Future researchers will use WISE in 2010, long after observations were made to characterize the asteroid Dinkinesh, in support of NASA’s Lucy mission before the October 2023 encounter. Just as we used the data, we will continue to rely on the vast archive of NEOWISE observations to make new discoveries.
“This is a bittersweet moment. We are sad to see this pioneering mission come to an end, but we know there are even more treasures hidden in the survey data,” Masiello said. “NEOWISE has a vast archive that covers a very long period of time and will inevitably advance the science of the infrared universe long after the spacecraft leaves.”
Mission details NEOWISE and NEO Surveyor are part of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The NASA Authorization Act of 2005 directs NASA to discover and characterize at least 90% of near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters (460 feet) in diameter that come within 30 million miles (48 million kilometers) of Earth’s orbit. did. An object of this size could cause significant damage to the region, and it would be even worse if it crashed into Earth. JPL manages and operates PDCO’s NEOWISE mission within the Science Mission Directorate. The Astrodynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, built the scientific instrument. Ball Aerospace & Technologies of Boulder, Colorado, built the spacecraft. Scientific data processing will take place at IPAC at the California Institute of Technology. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
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