3 NASA rockets to cut across solar eclipse

Indian-origin scientist to lead the mission that will record atmospheric changes on Oct 14

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An Indian-origin scientist at NASA is helming a mission that aims to launch three rockets during the 2023 annular eclipse on October 14. The mission, known as Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path or APEP, is led by Aroh Barjatya, will study how the sudden drop in sunlight affects our upper atmosphere, the space agency has said.

On October 14, people viewing the annular solar eclipse will experience the sun dimming to 10 per cent its normal brightness, leaving only a bright “ring of fire” of sunlight as the moon eclipses the sun. Some 50 miles up and beyond, the air itself becomes electric. Scientists call this atmospheric layer the ionosphere because it is where the UV component of sunlight can pry electrons away from atoms to form a sea of high-flying ions and electrons.