An Eye on the Sky
Physics student detects changes in space using radio waves through an internship with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico.
Read the storyAn Eye on the SkyAs the total solar eclipse passes over SUNY Brockport, physicists on campus will be photographing and tracking the activity of the sun as it moves along the path of totality. The sun’s atmosphere (known as the corona) is typically impossible to view due to the sun’s bright surface overpowering it. However, a total eclipse offers a rare opportunity to observe the corona and collect data on solar activity.
Due to Brockport’s advantageous position on the center line, Brockport students and faculty are partnering with 80 other institutions as part of the Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast (DEB) Initiative, funded by NASA Science Mission Directorate and the National Science Foundation.
“We’ll be tracking the movement of the moon across the sun from about an hour and a half before, to an hour and a half after totality,” said physics major Allison Blum. “Everyone involved along the path will begin an hour and a half early according to their time.”
The initiative was started by researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale as a continuation and improvement upon a similar project during the 2017 solar eclipse, due to their unique position on the path of totality for both the 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipse
“Their goal is to basically create a movie of the sun during totality across its path, not just in one place, but many places,” explained physics professor and chair Eric Monier. “They want to be able to see how the sun’s atmosphere changes over the course of the eclipse. We expect to see lots of sunspots and maybe even looping prominences coming out of the sun.”
“We expect to see lots of sunspots and maybe even looping prominences coming out of the sun.”
Eric Monier
For the past few months, Monier has been working alongside assistant professor Ka-Wah Wong and undergraduate students Allison Blum, Heather Flanagan, and Sean Lannon, learning to use the imaging equipment issued to them under the NASA grant.
“We’re trying to make sure the data looks okay, make sure it’s not overexposed, keep the telescope in focus,” Monier said. “As the temperature changes, the focus point will change as well. We want the images to be as sharp as possible.”
As all 81 institutions train in using their equipment, the public can follow along and view their images on the DEB telescope imagery beta site. On the day of the eclipse, video and high-quality images will be shared by NASA EDGE.
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