Articles tagged with Eclipses
A Southwest Research Institute-led team observed a total solar eclipse from above the cloud cover using NASA's WB-57 aircraft. The mission revealed high-resolution images of the solar corona and a massive prominence erupting from the Sun, providing valuable insights into the Sun's outer atmosphere.
A new study found that participating in awe-inspiring natural phenomena, like a solar eclipse, increases people's identification with science and sense of belonging. The researchers also discovered that awe plays a powerful role in this process.
Researchers found that while the eclipse influenced sound activity and diversity, it didn't alter acoustic complexity. The study used novel acoustic capture devices to record animal vocalizations before, during, and after the April 2024 eclipse at three Ohio sites.
Researchers used historical geography to accurately measure Earth's rotation speed during a total solar eclipse in 709 BCE, providing new data about the Sun's activity. The study also supports recent solar cycle reconstructions and independently validates previous findings using radiocarbon analysis.
Researchers at Ohio State University suggest a large cloud of dust and gas occluded Earth's view of the star ASASSN-24fw, causing its brightness to dim by 97% before brightening again. The team proposes that this disk is likely made up of carbon or water ice close in size to a large grain of dust.
Researchers have discovered that urban areas experience a greater difference in wet bulb globe temperature between 0.5 m and 1.5 m above ground due to surface heat radiation, posing health risks to children and pets during extreme heat events. Total solar eclipses also alter atmospheric conditions and insect behavior, with some species...
A groundbreaking international study found that spruce trees not only respond to solar eclipses but actively anticipate them by synchronizing their bioelectrical signals. Older trees exhibit a more pronounced early response, suggesting they retain environmental memory to inform younger trees of impending events.
Researchers found significant bird song decline only where more than 99% solar obscuration occurred. The study used a novel neural network approach and controlled for human presence, revealing varied responses among different bird species.
A new study using the James Webb Space Telescope has reevaluated the atmospheric composition of Trappist-1 b, finding conditions that could support a thick CO2-rich atmosphere. Researchers propose that haze from hydrocarbon compounds in the upper atmosphere may explain this scenario.
Scientists report early results from NASA-funded solar eclipse experiments, capturing detailed images of the Sun's corona and studying its effects on the atmosphere and ionosphere. The experiments involved citizen scientists, amateur radio operators, and aircraft observations, providing valuable data for future research.
The TESS mission has discovered a rare stellar triplet system with twin stars orbiting each other every 1.8 days, and a third star that circles the pair in just 25 days. The discovery sets a new record for the shortest outer orbital period of this type of system.
New NASA research generates extremely accurate eclipse maps incorporating lunar topography data from LRO observations. The process reveals the true time-varying shape of the Moon's shadow, affected by mountains and valleys along its edge.
The TESS24 conference will focus on the impact of space weather on various systems, including satellites, GPS, and power grids. Experts will discuss new predictions for Solar Cycle 25's peak intensity and the possibility of superflares happening every 6,000 years.
Experts recommend using handheld solar viewers with a solar filter to safely view the eclipse. The American Academy of Ophthalmology also warns against using home-made filters or pinholes to view the eclipse.
The University of Texas at Arlington is educating approximately 4,000 elementary, middle, and high school students in the DFW area about the upcoming solar eclipse through talks and field trips to the planetarium.
A Lancaster University PhD student used a new method to calculate the optical depth of Saturn's rings, revealing their transparency. By analyzing changes in Cassini's Langmuir Probe data during solar eclipses, the researcher determined how much sunlight passed through each ring.
Researchers reveal a partially covering 'Compton-thick' absorption component in the eclipsing cloud of NGC 6814. The team found that the occultation absorber was clumpy and consisted of many small clouds, similar to debris stripped from a comet.
Researchers detected a marvellous, composite eclipsing absorber responsible for a highly distinct X-ray eclipse event in NGC 6814. The team found the absorber to be clumpy and multi-phase, with small clouds ablated from the main cloud cluster.
Researchers used the NIRISS instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope to create a temperature map of the exoplanet WASP-18 b, revealing a huge temperature change from day to night sides. Water vapor was also detected in the atmosphere at various elevations.
The 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses offer teachable moments for Americans to witness rare events. Expert astronomer Douglas Duncan provides guidance on preparation, fundraising, and safe viewing techniques for teachers, students, and communities.
An international team of researchers analyzed medieval texts and ice core data to date some of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. They found that five lunar eclipses occurred within a year or so of major volcanic eruptions, providing new information about the most volcanically active period in Earth's history.
Scientists discover first gamma-ray eclipses from spider star systems using Fermi data, calculating system tilt and pulsar mass. The discovery helps researchers measure pulsar masses, constraining physics within extreme environments.
Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered a unique binary star system where a small companion star is surrounded by a large disk of dusty material. The companion star caused a seven-year-long eclipse of the main star, Gaia17bpp, which is one of the longest recorded eclipses.
Researchers at Nagoya University analyzed three historical writings to identify past solar eclipses in Hokkaido, using modern scientific techniques. They found that these accounts matched computer simulations of the Sun and Moon positions, revealing valuable clues about the extremity of the solar-terrestrial environment.
Researchers in Japan analyzed Byzantine Empire texts to identify five total solar eclipses near Eastern Mediterranean. This study improves understanding of the Earth's rotation and sheds light on variations in day length over time. The new data refine models of global phenomena, such as sea-level and ice-volume variability.
A team of scientists used uGMRT to study eclipses of millisecond pulsars, finding that absorption by magnetized materials from the companion star is the cause. The study provides insight into the evolutionary processes and ultimate fate of these exotic systems.
Astronomer Dr. Lauri Jetsu discovers multiple new companion star candidates for the eclipsing binary Algol AB, with orbital periods between 20 and 219 years. The companions are too faint to be detected by modern space telescopes, but their periodic signals can predict observed O-C changes.
The Antikythera Mechanism, a 2,000-year-old device used to predict astronomical events, has a newly recreated gearing system that conforms to physical evidence and matches descriptions on the Mechanism. The team recovered cycles for all planets using an ancient Greek mathematical method.
Researchers discovered that the two stars in the HS Hydrae system were almost completely eclipsing each other 50 years ago but now barely overlap. The team predicts that the eclipses will cease around February 2021, marking the end of this rare stellar dance.
Researchers predicted the corona's appearance using NASA data, but the actual appearance was hazier and calmer than expected due to changes in the Sun's magnetic field. The team made adjustments for the Sun's increasing activity, which affects space weather.
Researchers detected a slight tilt in the seismometer's signal during solar eclipses, likely due to ground cooling and deformation. This effect could be used to map Phobos' orbit with increased precision, important for future missions to the Martian moon.
A team led by astrophysicist Allison Youngblood used the Hubble Space Telescope to view Earth as if it were an exoplanet, capturing ultraviolet signals of ozone in its atmosphere. The study demonstrates a proof-of-concept for detecting biosignatures of life on distant planets.
Researchers at Duke University have devised a low-cost method for passively locating sources of radio waves, such as Wi-Fi and cellular communication signals. The technique uses metamaterials to create a coded aperture that boosts signal strength and allows for the characterization of radio wave frequencies.
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered the first planet to orbit two stars, TOI 1338 b. The exoplanet orbits a binary system consisting of a larger and smaller star, with the latter being only one-third the mass of our Sun.
Astronomers using TESS data have discovered that Alpha Draconis, a well-studied binary star system, regularly undergoes eclipses. The brief eclipses last only six hours and provide an opportunity to measure the masses and sizes of both stars with high accuracy.
Researchers used NASA data to predict the corona's appearance during a total solar eclipse, assessing and improving their models. Their prediction featured a nebulous corona with two wide streamers, which they confirmed with post-eclipse observations.
Research reveals sagebrush's response to 2017 solar eclipse showed significant reductions in photosynthesis and transpiration. The study also found that the circadian rhythm was interrupted by sudden changes in sunlight, triggering a response beyond what happens when clouds block sunlight.
A new study published in The Lancet has identified levetiracetam as a safe and effective alternative to phenytoin for treating convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in children. The trial, conducted by the EcLiPSE Team, involved over 300 children and found that levetiracetam may be considered as an alternative treatment to phenytoin.
Astronomers captured a meteorite hitting the moon's surface during January's total lunar eclipse, creating a crater up to 15 meters across. The impact was recorded using eight telescopes in Spain and revealed an object measuring 30-60cm in diameter, traveling at 61,000 kilometers per hour.
Researchers used radar data to observe wildlife behavior during the eclipse, finding a decrease in daytime activity but no increase in nighttime activity. Insect and bird behavior was stifled by the sunset-like sky produced by the eclipse, with some sites experiencing a sudden burst of activity during totality.
During the 2017 total solar eclipse, researchers captured a surprising phenomenon: bees stopped buzzing as Earth fell into complete darkness. The study, led by Candace Galen at the University of Missouri, found that bees did not use the unusual darkness as a cue for night and instead flew during periods of reduced light.
Scientists plan to fly a coronagraph aboard a high-altitude balloon to measure density, temperature, and speed of electrons in the corona. This will help understand how solar wind forms and accelerates, impacting space-weather forecasts and potentially disrupting power grids.
Researchers monitored bee activity during the 2017 total solar eclipse and found that bees ceased flying during totality. The study, supported by a grant from the American Astronomical Society, engaged over 400 participants in setting up acoustic monitoring stations across the US.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Eclipse Integrated Computational Environment (ICE) simplifies complex simulations by providing a comprehensive suite of scientific computing tools. Researchers can define problems, run simulations locally or remotely, and analyze results using a user-friendly interface.
Researchers at Predictive Science Inc. developed a complex numerical model to simulate the corona, using data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. Their prediction bore a striking resemblance to the Aug. 21, 2017, corona, indicating advances in the new model and its ability to reflect key features such as helmet streamers.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) begins its annual eclipse season, which lasts three weeks. During this period, Earth blocks SDO's view of the Sun for short periods, typically lasting from 2-72 minutes.
During a total solar eclipse, plants responded differently to changes in light and temperature, challenging circadian rhythm theories. The research team observed varied reactions among four plant species, with some displaying internal clocks that were activated by temperature changes rather than light.
Researchers gathered data on Sun's atmosphere and its impact on Earth's atmosphere, revealing new insights into the Sun-Earth connection. The eclipse also provided an opportunity to test models of the ionosphere's effects on communication signals.
Researchers used adaptive optics technology to examine microscopic structures of the eye in living patients, obtaining high-resolution images of damaged photoreceptors. This study may lead to a deeper understanding of solar retinopathy and potentially develop new treatments.
Researchers used biblical and ancient Egyptian texts to determine an annular solar eclipse on 30 October 1207 BC, which could help date the Egyptian pharaohs, including Ramesses the Great. This calculation enables precise dating of their reigns with a one-year precision.
Scientists at Ohio State University found a possible biological explanation for the unusual clarity of vision during the recent total solar eclipse. The presence or absence of a protein in the retina called a GABA receptor enhances night vision on sunny days but disappears at night.
Researchers used supercomputers to create highly-detailed solar simulations, timed to the moment of the eclipse, which provided a preview of the solar corona's appearance. The simulations included improved treatments of energy transport and magnetic shear, increasing the accuracy of the predictions.
Researchers used Stampede2 supercomputer to forecast solar eclipse corona, shedding light on sun's structure and space weather. The simulations, completed with NASA's Pleiades and other computers, provided highly detailed models of the sun's surface and predicted the solar corona's appearance during the Aug. 21 eclipse.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will capture an image of the Moon's shadow on Earth during a solar eclipse on Aug. 21. The public can participate by waving at the Moon, with the camera resolution able to see continents and large surface features.
Scientists will measure lower corona in fine detail using new instruments during the Aug. 21, 2017 eclipse. This data will help characterize complex magnetic field and predict space weather events.
A NJIT researcher is leading a global ham radio experiment to study the effects of the solar eclipse on Earth's ionosphere. He will contact a network of ham radio operators worldwide to test their high frequency signals and measure the eclipse's impact.
Scientists will use automated communication signals to probe the ionosphere's behavior during the Aug. 21 eclipse, providing insights into mechanisms underlying ionospheric changes. The study will help improve understanding of the Sun's impact on Earth's atmosphere and navigation signal interference.
During the total solar eclipse on August 21, UMass Lowell faculty and students will conduct research on space weather using high-tech instruments. The goal is to better predict the weather and enhance GPS, satellite, and shortwave-radio communications.
Scientists will use twin telescopes on NASA's WB-57F jet planes to capture high-resolution images of the Sun's outer atmosphere and thermal images of Mercury. The observations aim to study coronal heating and temperature variation across Mercury's surface.
An international team of astronomers led by University of Warwick discovered a giant gas planet up to 50x Jupiter's mass with rings, causing regular eclipses of the young star PDS 110 in Orion constellation. The next eclipse is predicted for September, allowing amateur astronomers to witness and gather new data.