Scientists to chase total solar eclipse west of Ireland

Next week, a team of scientists will take to the skies off Ireland’s west coast to observe one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena: a total solar eclipse.

The mission on Wednesday, August 12th, aims to provide a rare opportunity to examine the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, and gain new insights into how the Sun’s magnetic field shapes and influences it.

Researchers from Ireland and Italy will fly an advanced solar telescope aboard an Irish Air Corps Airbus C295 aircraft to study the Sun’s atmosphere during the total solar eclipse. The eclipse’s path of totality will pass approximately 350km west of Ireland.

At the heart of the expedition is a new telescope called E-CorMag, developed by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics.

Although it sits far above the visible surface of the Sun, the corona can reach temperatures of around two million degrees Celsius: hundreds of times hotter than the surface below. Scientists still do not fully understand why this happens.

E-CorMag has been designed to help answer that question by measuring the magnetic field of the corona. These magnetic fields are thought to play a major role in shaping the Sun’s atmosphere and releasing huge amounts of energy into space.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon blocks out the Sun’s bright disc, briefly revealing the faint, glowing corona around it. For just a few minutes, scientists get a natural window into a part of the Sun that is usually hidden from view.

During the observation, the aircraft’s bubble window will be opened, giving the telescope a clear view of the eclipsed Sun. This means the instrument can observe without looking through standard aircraft windows, which can blur or distort the images.

Flying also gives the science team a major advantage: the aircraft can be positioned to spend as much time as possible in the Moon’s shadow, while also reducing the risk of clouds blocking the view from the ground.