NASA Plans Eclipse Broadcast and Research

NASA will provide live coverage of a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, with totality visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and Portugal. The agency will stream views from across the eclipse path and host interviews with subject-matter experts through NASA’s online platforms.

A partial eclipse will be visible across wider areas of the Northern Hemisphere, including portions of the United States from Alaska to North Carolina, most of Canada, much of Europe and northwestern Africa. NASA’s broadcast is scheduled to begin at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time, with totality beginning in Iceland at 1:45 p.m. and Spain at 2:28 p.m.

The agency also plans to conduct research during the eclipse. A NASA-funded team will use a WB-57 high-altitude aircraft to study the Sun’s corona while pursuing the Moon’s shadow. The NASA-supported Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project will involve students from several U.S. universities launching scientific balloons in Iceland and Spain to examine atmospheric changes caused by the temporary loss of sunlight.

NASA said eclipse photographs will be posted on its Flickr account after the event, subject to visibility conditions. Experts will answer questions submitted through social media during the broadcast. Additional information and viewing details are available at nasa.gov/live and science.nasa.gov/eclipses.