Irish Scientists Solar Eclipse Flight Pursues Total Darkness Over Atlantic

In an extraordinary airborne mission, an Irish scientists solar eclipse team will board an Irish Air Corps aircraft to fly 10,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, intercepting total darkness to capture rare solar phenomena.

Positioned 350 kilometers out over the ocean, the plane will chase the Moon's shadow as it moves across the water, granting the researchers an invaluable two-minute window to observe the Sun's solar corona. 

Led by Dr. Laura Hayes, an assistant professor at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, the team plans to depressurize the aircraft cabin mid-flight and open a hatch, allowing their specialized solar telescope an unobstructed view free from atmospheric distortion.

Observing the solar atmosphere during the eclipse enables researchers to map out crucial aspects of the Sun's magnetic field, helping predict massive solar flares that disrupt GPS satellites and electrical power grids on Earth. 

Data collected during the Irish scientists solar eclipse mission will ultimately be cross-referenced with high-altitude observations gathered simultaneously by NASA teams operating out of Iceland.

BBC