The solar corona can be seen during the solar eclipse on April 8. Astronomers are still trying to figure out the mysteries of the corona, including why it’s so hot.
Apart from technical aspects, a successful photograph of the eclipse serves as a lasting reminder of the sense of wonder and the feeling of being part of something larger than ourselves.
Eclipses have inspired myths, predictions and scientific discoveries. The total solar eclipse occurring on April 8 provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with science and the cosmos.
Many people will see a dazzling eclipse this April, but these events are possible only because of the sizes and precise distances between Earth, the Moon and the Sun.
Being severely sunburnt as a child more than doubles the chance of developing future skin cancer but less than half of primary schools questioned in new research have a sun safety policy.
Projects under NASA’s CLPS program – including the Odysseus lander that made it to the lunar surface – will probe unexplored questions about the universe’s formation.
A newly discovered planet that should be too big to have formed around a tiny star is throwing into question what researchers know about planet formation.