Posted on Apr 2, 2024
Why NASA is launching 3 rockets into the solar eclipse next week
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Besides the obvious cool factor, the launches have an important science goal: to help scientists understand how the sudden drop in sunlight affects our planet's blanket of air.
The sudden transition from day to night is known to cause sharp drops in temperatures and even trick animals into engaging in nighttime behaviors. But scientists understand little about how the brief moments of darkness influence the boundary between Earth's upper and lower atmosphere, called the ionosphere, which extends between 55 to 310 miles (90 to 500 kilometers) above the planet';'s surface.
The sudden transition from day to night is known to cause sharp drops in temperatures and even trick animals into engaging in nighttime behaviors. But scientists understand little about how the brief moments of darkness influence the boundary between Earth's upper and lower atmosphere, called the ionosphere, which extends between 55 to 310 miles (90 to 500 kilometers) above the planet';'s surface.
Why NASA is launching 3 rockets into the solar eclipse next week
Posted from livescience.com
Edited 27 d ago
Posted 27 d ago
Responses: 8
Posted 27 d ago
You don't get many chances to study some thing, they have to take advantage when they can.
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Posted 27 d ago
Interesting. I wonder if weather balloons could be more cost effective… probably not as cool although.
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Posted 27 d ago
Never understood this stuff, but it is cool.
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