Join 2017 Solar Eclipse National Experiment Team
Image caption: July 1991, the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth produced a total solar eclipse with a path that crossed the Mauna Kea astronomical observatory in Hawai'i. Source: PBS.org
The 67-mile-wide path of the total eclipse crosses 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina. The 2017 eclipse across the U.S. offers a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of the eclipse on Earth temperatures. You can be part of a national experiment by joining the GLOBE Observer citizen scientist team. Tips for safe eclipse viewing are provided in this attachment: Eclipse Safety Statement from Charles Fulco, NASA/AAS 2017 U.S. Solar Eclipse Educator.
What can be learned by studying a solar eclipse?
For those located in the pathway of the total solar eclipse, the Moon blocks light from the Sun, and for a short period of time (about 90 seconds) the day suddenly becomes night. Without sunlight, temperatures drop and weather conditions, like cloudiness, may change. In the total solar eclipse of 1991 (shown in the image above), right before the total eclipse the temperature dipped and the clouds covering the sun dropped down, making the total eclipse visible. When the Moon’s shadow swept by Lusaka, Zambia on June 21, 2001, the air temperature dropped nearly 9.4 degrees C. [Read more at: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/temperature-change-during-totality] Observer citizen scientist team.
Citizen scientists joining the GLOBE Observer experiment will measure how the eclipse changes temperature and cloud conditions as the eclipse moves from Oregon to South Carolina on August 21, 2017. Download the Globe Observer app (https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app) and register to participate.
How will you collect data for the GLOBE eclipse experiment?
Set up or hang your thermometer in a shaded area.
Wear eclipse glasses when looking at the Sun. (See: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety)
Record temperature every 5 to 10 minutes in the GLOBE Observer Eclipse a;;. Start when the eclipse begins (first contact) and continue until the Sun is completely uncovered (last contact). The app will tell you when to start and when to enter your temperature data.
Use the app to record and photograph clouds every 15 to 30 minutes or as you notice changes.
How will my data contribute to this national experiment?
Your data will improve our understanding of how solar energy is absorbed and reflected in Earth’s atmosphere. Carefully collected data from every citizen following the GLOBE protocols will help build a large and valuable data set to document how weather conditions varied in total and partial eclipse areas of the U.S.
Stay tuned to the Capstone Group, Inc. blog for more info about the upcoming West Virginia Student Research Symposium, April 13, 2018, at Fairmont State University.
