April's total solar eclipse promises to be the best yet for experiments
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — April’s total solar eclipse promises to be a scientific bonanza, thanks to new spacecraft and telescopes — and cosmic chance.
The moon will be extra close to Earth, providing a long and intense period of darkness, and the sun should be more active with the potential for dramatic bursts of plasma. Then there’s totality’s densely populated corridor stretching from Mexico to the U.S. to Canada.
Hundreds if not thousands of the tens of millions of spectators will double as “citizen scientists,” helping NASA and other research groups better understand our planet and star.
They’ll photograph the sun’s outer crownlike atmosphere, or corona, as the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blotting out sunlight for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8. They’ll observe the quieting of birds and other animals as midday darkness falls. They’ll also measure dropping temperatures, monitor clouds and use ham radios to gauge communication disruptions.
Related articles
Juvenile murder case in North China shines spotlight on school bullying
(ECNS)-- The case of a student killed and buried by his classmates on March 10 in Handan City, North2024-05-01Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Months after a catastrophic fire burned more than 2,200 homes in Hawaii, some pr2024-05-01Alicia Keys, Brian d’Arcy James, Daniel Radcliffe and more react to earning Tony Award nominations
Singer Alicia Keys says she was unable to speak after her semi-autobiographical show “Hell’s Kitchen2024-05-01Iran commutes a tycoon's death sentence to 20 years in prison
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s judiciary said Tuesday that it commuted a death sentence for a tycoon to2024-05-01Feature: Race against time to find survivors at epicenter of Türkiye's massive earthquakes
Rescuers search for survivors on the rubble of a building destroyed in a powerful earthquake in Kahr2024-05-01Welcome to stench ground zero: The village where an unspeakable two
The 200-odd residents of the teeny village of Stow Bedon in Breckland, Norfolk are used to living un2024-05-01
atest comment