NASA will chase the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse with balloons and a high-altitude jet

NASA is undertaking an ambitious project to observe the totality of the August 12th total solar eclipse utilizing both helium weather balloons and a specialized high-altitude jet aircraft. The mission aims to provide scientists with unprecedented opportunities for studying the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as its corona. Scientists believe that this observation method offers a unique perspective unattainable by any other spacecraft within our solar system. Data collected during the event will be crucial for advancing understanding of coronal dynamics and space weather phenomena. This research promises significant advancements in heliophysics and contributes to broader knowledge about the sun's influence on Earth.