NASA has captured a spectacular view of the total solar eclipse from 50,000 feet above Iceland, using a high-altitude WB-57 research aircraft to chase the Moon’s shadow.
The mission took place during the August 12 total solar eclipse, which crossed Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and parts of Portugal.
Flying at around 460 miles per hour, the NASA jet stayed inside the Moon’s shadow for nearly three minutes, giving scientists more time to observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the solar corona.
Special cameras aboard the aircraft captured high-resolution images in multiple visible and infrared wavelengths, including some wavelengths that are difficult to observe from the ground because Earth's atmosphere absorbs them.
Scientists hope the observations will reveal new details about the corona, including how it reaches temperatures of nearly one million degrees, how solar material moves through the corona and how the solar wind forms.
The research could ultimately improve scientists' understanding of solar eruptions and their effects on satellites, astronauts and technology on Earth.
NASA says the eclipse provided a rare opportunity to study our star from an unusually high vantage point.
