Science AMA Series: We’re NASA scientists. Ask us anything about the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse!

Abstract

Edit, 4:31 PM ET We're signing off. Thanks for all of your questions! Some of us will try to answer more questions throughout the next couple of days. And remember, all our eclipse info is at eclipse2017.nasa.gov Edit, 3:03 PM ET We're live! We'll be online answering questions starting at 3 PM ET! On Monday, August 21, 2017, daylight will fade to the level of a moonlit night as millions of Americans experience a total solar eclipse. For the first time in nearly 100 years (since 1918), the moon’s shadow will sweep coast-to-coast across the US, putting 14 states in the path of totality, and providing a view of a partial eclipse across all 50 states. A solar eclipse happens when a rare alignment of the sun and moon casts a shadow on Earth. Eclipses provide an unparalleled opportunity for us to see the sun’s faint outer atmosphere, the corona, in a way that can’t be replicated by human-made instruments. We believe this region of the sun is the main driver for the sun’s constant outpouring of radiation, known as the solar wind, as well as powerful bursts of solar material that can be harmful to satellites, orbiting astronauts and power grids on the ground. We’re here to talk about • What you’ll see on August 21st & how to watch it safely • Why we’re excited to study the sun during this eclipse & our upcoming mission to the sun • How eclipses can help us learn about Earth, the solar system, and exoplanets More info at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/ Mitzi Adams I am a solar scientist for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), where I study the magnetic field of the Sun and how it affects the upper layer of the solar atmosphere, the corona. With a professional interest in sunspot magnetic fields and coronal bright points, friends have labelled me a “solar dermatologist”. Alexa Halford ​I am a contractor at NASA Goddard. Throughout my education I have been lucky to work at JPL NASA looking at Uranus's moons and study Saturn on the Cassini mission at the South West Research Institute. Today I stick a bit closer to home studying the Earth's magnetic field and its space weather phenomena. Michael Kirk I am currently a fellow with the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP). This two-year program allows me to pursue my research interests here at Goddard and collaborate with other scientists. My research interests include automated solar image processing, anatomy of chromospheric flares and associated ephemeral brightenings, solar cycle variations in polar coronal holes, and helioinformatics (the way we scientists interact with and make use of solar data Debra Needham I am a planetary scientist at NASA Marshall with a focus on geomorphology, surface processes, and volcanology on the Earth, the Moon, Mars, and Venus. I am also involved with efforts to integrate science into future robotic and human exploration. Cécile Rousseaux I graduated from the University of Namur (Belgium) and received a Masters Degree in Biology of Organisms (University of Namur) and another one in Oceanography (University of Liege). I then did my PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of Western Australia. In 2011, I started working at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a Research Scientist. My research focuses on the effects of climate variability on the oceans using earth system models and satellite ocean color through data assimilation. Jesse-Lee Dimech My name is Dr. Jesse-Lee Dimech, I’m a lunar seismologist and NASA postdoctoral fellow at MSFC. I research “moonquakes” using seismic data recorded during the Apollo moon missions. I’m also helping operate an H-alpha solar telescope on eclipse day in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, which will live feed to NASA TV. Dr. Alphonse Sterling I am a solar scientist at NASA Marshall where I study the magnetic field of the Sun and how it affects the solar atmosphere, including the chromosphere and the corona. I have attended several eclipses. Chris Blair I am a communications professional at NASA Marshall specializing in planetary and solar sciences and the International Space Station.