1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:04,070 [off camera] Well sky watchers around the world are gearing up for the opportunity 2 00:00:04,090 --> 00:00:08,130 to see a rare total solar eclipse. And NASA 3 00:00:08,150 --> 00:00:12,200 has some scientists on the ground there, but they are preparing to 4 00:00:12,220 --> 00:00:16,310 learn a lot about the sun. Here to tell us more is Dr. Alex Young 5 00:00:16,330 --> 00:00:20,450 from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Thanks for joining us. [Young] It's my pleasure 6 00:00:20,470 --> 00:00:24,630 [off camera] So start by telling us what will happen during this eclipse?" 7 00:00:24,650 --> 00:00:28,680 [Young] The moon is going to move in front of the sun 8 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:32,720 The moon is just right that it's going to cast a shadow down on the Earth. 9 00:00:32,740 --> 00:00:36,790 And those folks who are lucky enough to be in this 10 00:00:36,810 --> 00:00:40,860 shadow are going to see the moon completely block 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,980 out the sun. This is what we call a total solar eclipse. 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,130 And so it'll be travleing across Indonesia over some of the islands of Micronesia 13 00:00:49,150 --> 00:00:53,300 and out into the Pacific Ocean. 14 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,360 [off camera] What will NASA scientists be doing during this eclipse? 15 00:00:57,380 --> 00:01:01,430 [Young] Scientists will be both testing out new technology 16 00:01:01,450 --> 00:01:05,510 and also studying the sun. They're going to get the opportunity 17 00:01:05,530 --> 00:01:09,630 to study the sun's corona, it's atmosphere 18 00:01:09,650 --> 00:01:13,720 that is millions of times dimmer than the solar disk 19 00:01:13,740 --> 00:01:17,840 We're looking at video right now, real data 20 00:01:17,860 --> 00:01:21,870 from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. This is showing you huge 21 00:01:21,890 --> 00:01:25,940 solar storms. These explosions sending out 22 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:30,020 light, energy and material are many times the size of the Earth. 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,150 And these solar storms can interact with 24 00:01:34,170 --> 00:01:38,180 a planet such as the Earth. They create beautiful things like the aurora, but they also 25 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,230 impact our technologies-satellites, GPS 26 00:01:42,250 --> 00:01:46,270 and even be harmful to to astronauts in space. So it's really critical to 27 00:01:46,290 --> 00:01:50,340 that we understand the corona which is where all this action 28 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,470 is happening. [off camera] Now the U.S. will 29 00:01:54,490 --> 00:01:58,630 be in prime position to see a total solar eclipse next year. Can you talk 30 00:01:58,650 --> 00:02:02,790 about what we're going to see? 31 00:02:02,810 --> 00:02:06,850 [Young] Yes on August 2017 this shadow is going to be 32 00:02:06,870 --> 00:02:10,900 cast down on the continental U.S. starting 33 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:14,980 in Oregon moving diagonally across the U.S, 34 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,060 down to South Carolina. And so folks 35 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,200 that are again in this path of totality will 36 00:02:23,220 --> 00:02:27,380 get an opportunity to see this total solar eclipse. So we're hoping 37 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,430 that everyone will get an opportunity to travel to their closest 38 00:02:31,450 --> 00:02:35,470 area to see this. But even if you don't see the total solar eclipse 39 00:02:35,490 --> 00:02:39,560 you'll get to see it broadcast live in addition everyone 40 00:02:39,580 --> 00:02:43,660 in North America, Central America, and part of South America will 41 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,800 at least get to experience a partial eclipse. [off camera] Now where 42 00:02:47,820 --> 00:02:51,940 can we learn more and see some pretty pictures of the sun? 43 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,990 [Young] Go to nasa.gov/eclipse 44 00:02:56,010 --> 00:03:00,040 and NASA.gov/SunEarth to see m 45 00:03:00,060 --> 00:03:04,110 more about eclipses and the sun. You can also check out what's happening on Twitter 46 00:03:04,130 --> 00:03:08,190 @NASASunEarth. [off camera] Great thanks for 47 00:03:08,210 --> 00:03:12,623 so much for joing us. [Young] Thank you very much.