Observing the sun during eclipses helps scientists better understand how solar material flows from the sun.
Charged particles known as plasma create space weather that interacts with an upper layer of Earthβs atmosphere, called the ionosphere. Many low-Earth orbit satellites and radio waves operate in the ionosphere, which means dynamic space weather has an impact on GPS and long-distance radio communications.
Three sounding rockets will lift offΒ in succession from NASAβs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia before, during and after the eclipse to measure how the sudden disappearance of sunlight impacts Earthβs upper atmosphere.
Each rocket will eject four soda bottle-size scientific instruments within the path of totality to measure changes in the ionosphereβs temperature, particle density, and electric and magnetic fields.
