Where to stream total solar eclipse & why and how scientists study surya grahan

Eclipses aren’t just captivating celestial events, they’re also invaluable opportunities for scientific discovery. For over a century, solar eclipses have served as windows to unravel mysteries about the sun’s structure, the theory of general relativity, and even the discovery of new elements. (File image)

Unless you're travelling to continental America next week, you are likely going to have to see the sampurna surya grahan on April 8 online. If you want to see telescope images of the total solar eclipse in real time next week, NASA will stream the celestial event for hours, as the eclipse's path of totality shifts north from Mexico to Canada. NASA TV will show telescope views of the sun, as well as conversations with scientists and astronauts, from 10.30 pm India time. NASA will also be blasting small rockets with science instruments into the ionosphere. Among these are three rockets that will study how the light changes during eclipse affect Earth's upper atmosphere - leading this project is Indian-origin scientist Aroh Barjatya, a professor of engineering physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida where he directs the Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Lab.

Why solar eclipses fascinate scientists and researchers

Eclipses aren’t just captivating celestial events, they’re also invaluable opportunities for scientific discovery. For over a century, solar eclipses have served as windows to unravel mysteries about the sun’s structure, the theory of general relativity, and even the discovery of new elements.

Even today, scientists continue to harness the power of eclipses to unlock new insights into the sun, earth, and our broader space environment. Total solar eclipses, in particular, offer a unique chance to study the sun’s corona, a faint outer atmosphere typically obscured by the sun's brilliance. Instruments like coronagraphs attempt to mimic the conditions of an eclipse, but they often struggle to capture the innermost part of the corona where critical processes occur.

Understanding the dynamics of the corona is vital for deciphering how the sun's energy and heat are transmitted into the solar wind, a stream of particles that can impact Earth's atmosphere and technology. By studying eclipses, scientists can predict and mitigate potential impacts of solar activity on our planet.

Furthermore, eclipses provide a localised disruption of solar energy, offering a rare opportunity to study earth's atmosphere under unique conditions. This focused illumination change aids researchers in understanding phenomena like the ionosphere, a layer crucial for communication systems and satellite operations.

Recent eclipse studies, such as those conducted during the 2017 total solar eclipse, have provided valuable data for predicting future eclipses and understanding space weather patterns. The observations made during these events contribute to developing models that forecast solar material movement and its influence on near-earth space.

Long-term eclipse studies also offer profound insights. Some studies have revealed the corona’s surprisingly stable temperature, despite undergoing periodic changes associated with the solar cycle.

In essence, eclipses serve as powerful tools for scientific inquiry, offering researchers a glimpse into the workings of our solar system and beyond. With each eclipse, new discoveries emerge, enriching our understanding of the universe.