Incredible Nasa jet to chase solar eclipse at twice the altitude of an airliner in mission to uncover secrets of the Sun

FLYING at the brink of the stratosphere, a space jet is set to race the solar eclipse in a mission to understand the Sun. As the northern hemisphere dims on Wednesday, Nasa is sending up a high-altitude research jet to monitor the eclipse at 50,000ft – twice the height of a commercial airliner. Nasa will be observing the secrets of the Sun as the rare celestial event graces the northern hemisphere Credit: Reuters The missions goal is to observe the thin halo of light that will encompass the Moon Credit: AP The mission’s goal is simple, to observe the thin halo of light that will encompass the Moon known as the corona. Because the Sun’s surface is so bright, the corona is usually impossible to see but tonight’s eclipse offers a rare opportunity to study the mysterious atmosphere. Sign up for the Tech newsletter Thank you! During an eclipse, the Moon blocks the Sun’s glare so scientists can see the superheated plasma loops that it emits. This rare view could help solve a major mystery of why is the Sun’s outer layer far hotter than its surface. The space jet is fit with four cameras that will take high-resolution images of the corona Credit: Reuters Nasa hopes to gain a better understanding of the Sun Credit: Reuters Flying over Iceland which will experience a total eclipse, the nose-cone of the WB-57 jet is fit with four cameras that will take high-resolution images of the corona. Ready for lift-off, Nasa said: “Eyes to the skies – we’re preparing to capture the upcoming solar eclipse in a way only NASA can.” The team will take off from Iceland and fly in the path of the eclipse, sending back views for researchers to learn more about the celestial event. The WB-57 jet is a specialised high-altitude research aircraft developed in the 1950s. Most read in Tech Britons can see the beginnings of the eclipse from 6.15pm Credit: AFP Cruising at 50,000ft it flies above most of the water vapour, haze, and turbulence meaning crews are able to capture an unobstructed view. This allows the onboard sensors to pick up clearer, sharper images and record wavelengths which usually don’t reach the ground. Kelly Korreck, the eclipse programme manager at Nasa HQ said: “From our unique perspective on Earth during a total solar eclipse, scientists can study the Sun’s corona in a way we can’t from anywhere else in the solar system. “The Sun impacts our daily life, satellites and astronauts in space, and we can take advantage of this moment to advance our understanding of that influence.” The South West will have the best view of the eclipse The next UK-visible eclipse will be in 2090 Credit: Alamy Space personnel have flocked to a tiny and unlikely European village ahead of the eclipse. Villalibado, in the province of Burgos, Spain, has been hired by NASA to broadcast the total solar eclipse tomorrow to 10million people The once-derelict village has been handpicked by the agency to provide a live feed of the phenomenon, with a team of almost 30 NASA and Exploratorium scientists and technicians preparing the international broadcast. Britons should set their alarm for 6.15pm when the first signs of the eclipse will appear. Exactly when each happens depends on where you live. In Cornwall, the eclipse begins at around 6.18pm and peaks at 7.16pm. Maximum eclipse comes at around 7.13pm in London, Bristol and Cardiff, 7.11pm in the Midlands and 7.10pm in Manchester. For precise local timings, check the Royal Observatory Greenwich, which will also broadcast the eclipse live. The UK sits just outside the “path of totality”, which means the Sun will not fully disappear here — a thin, brilliant crescent will remain — and we will get what is known as a partial solar eclipse as daylight fades. For the UK it will be the first solar eclipse since 1999 and after Wednesday the next won’t be until 2090. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. Comment now