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Humans have been observing the solar eclipse to NASA scientists use their unique view-
Skylab H-Alpha Telescope, 1973 learn more about the Sun for thousands of years. point to study the Sun and It's corona. Earth eclipses the Sun. Picture taken
during Apollo 12 mission, 1969

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Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, EIT195, 1998 Solar Maximum Mission Coronagraph,/Polarimeter, 1980
 Finding Our Place in the Cosmic Scheme of Things People of the past used their extensive knowledge of the stars to plan when to plant crops and how to navigate the Total solar eclipses have fascinated us since the dawn of recorded history. It is impossible to say exactly how long humans
oceans. Today, this wisdom is mostly a lost art. People only glance at the stars occasionally, largely because so fewer have been aware of this awesome celestial event. There was no “first discoverer” of eclipses just as there was no discoverer
stars are seen due to light pollution from cities. But science and technology have led to new understandings about the of the Moon, or the stars in the sky. Only eclipse anecdotes survive, such as the story about the two Chinese astrologers in
stars and the Universe, including our Sun. The national Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993) recommend that 2134 BC who were beheaded for not forecasting an eclipse accurately. Babylonian astronomers mentioned an eclipse in 1375
three aspects of the current scientific view be investigated as part of students' required learning: (1) the composition of BC, and Greek astronomers reported eclipses in 762, 647 and 584 BC. Only a scattering of descriptions even hinted at the
spectacular shape of the most dramatic, visual, feature of these events: the solar corona. Solar eclipses were first mentioned
the cosmos and its scale of space and time; (2) the principles on which the universe seems to operate; and (3) how the by Chinese astronomers in 1307 BC, and later by Plutarch in 71 AD. No one who has seen a solar eclipse can soon forget the
modern view of the universe emerged. These bring us to a perfect launching place to begin exploring the wonders of a spectacle of the faint, luminous halo surrounding the blackened disk of the Sun during totality.
total solar eclipse, and learn anew about the stars.
The corona has been the Holy Grail of modern eclipse watchers, who have traveled to the four corners of the Earth to set up
9-12
Grasp the Sophisticated telescopes to capture its ephemeral hues and shapes. The first photograph, taken in 1851, captured its visible appearance.
character technology is Since then, photographs have revealed dazzling details, plumes, streamers and fountains of gas hovering above the
of the Star Origin of the used to learn darkened lunar limb. Since the 1800s, astronomers studied the corona, searching for clues to its origins, structure and basic
characteristics Universe and about the Mathematical physical properties. The corona was found to be the outer atmosphere of the sun (not the moon as some thought!), heated to
• Universe elements and star formation models and
• Universe
computer millions of degrees, flowing out into the solar system in a dilute, interplanetary wind.
• Physics physical an ongoing • Spectra
• Chemistry principles process • Space Probes simulations
• History The advent of satellite technology, such as NASA's Orbiting Solar Observatories (OSO), Skylab, and collaborations with
• Visual European (SOHO) and Japanese (Yohkoh) space agencies, led to magnificent views of the turbulent and violent corona. At
• Mathematics • Xray Telescopes
• Technology higher resolution, NASA satellites such as TRACE and RHESSI explore the details of how solar flares occur, and the manner
in which they release their titanic energies. Infused with new data, scientists discovered the corona's changes during the
Mastery by End of Grade 8 sunspot cycle, and that the Sun's corona was laced with “holes” where particles could freely escape into space. The many
plumes and streamers that eclipse observers had admired in centuries past were the hosts of spectacular explosions of
magnetized plasma clouds into space - Coronal Mass Ejections. Even the million-degree temperature of the coronal gases
6-8 now had the beginnings of an explanation, with clues found on the solar surface in an ever-changing magnetic carpet of
Solar Our Sun- Sun gives Earth microflares and other activity.
Additional Eclipse medium sized
detail to the light to Earth and other
star. The in minutes planets, their Meteorites As older questions have found their answers in modern data, a new generation of questions spawned by newer forms of
picture of the Universe
Universe. Use Other galaxies composition and data now present themselves. How do solar magnetic fields break apart, reform, and release energy? Why do solar flares
contains take billions orbits and asteroids happen, and can they be predicted? How is the Sun's magnetic field created below its surface?
of scale and billions of
astronomical of years geologic
galaxies activity
tools. Figure 1: Ultraviolet coronagraph image of the solar corona seen by the SOHO, LASCO instrument showing a coronal mass
ejection in progress. The satellite instrument creates an artificial, total solar eclipse to record the faint light from the corona.
(Courtesy SOHO) C-3 Blue.
Mastery by End of Grade 5 Figures 2 : X-ray image of the solar corona showing dark 'coronal holes' and the bright plumes of trapped particles heated to
over 100,000 C. (Courtesy Yohkoh)
Solar
3-5 Eclipse Patterns of Telescopes Planets Earth Figures 3: Optical composite photograph of solar corona, showing details. (Courtesy Steve Albers)
Development stars nightly change orbits Stars are
magnify like the
of an inventory different objects their positions, the Sun, Figure 4: Ultraviolet coronagraph image of the solar corona seen by the SOHO, LASCO instrument showing a coronal mass
of a variety of stars at using the Moon Sun, but ejection in progress. The satellite instrument creates an artificial, total solar eclipse to record the faint light from the corona.
in the sky, far away
things in the different our galaxy background orbits the (Courtesy SOHO) C-2 Orange
Universe seasons of stars Earth

Shadow versus
Mastery by End of Grade 2 illumination

Solar
Eclipse Sun can be seen
K-2 More Stars during the day, Moon Moon looks different
Observational than at night and sometimes every day, but looks
and qualitative anyone during the day - Sun, the same after
can count Moon and stars seem 4 weeks
to move across the sky

Humans have been observing the solar eclipse to NASA scientists use their unique view-
learn more about the Sun for thousands of years. point to study the Sun and It's corona.
Earth eclipses the Sun. Picture
taken during Apollo 12 mission, 1969
ylab H-Alpha Telescope, 1973

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SA