On Friday morning, News 5 spoke with NASA HQ Flight Director Nicki Rayl about the April 8 total solar eclipse and how you can help contribute to NASA science during the eclipse.
News 5 Meteorologist Trent Magill spoke with Rayl, who said this eclipse will be different from the one we saw in 2017.
"So this eclipse, we're so fortunate that we have a wider path of totality," Rayl said. "So, about 31 million people across the contiguous United States are going to be able to experience the path of totality as well as a longer duration, about up to 4.5 minutes for this eclipse all the way from Texas up through Maine."
With this longer duration and expanded area of totality, Rayl said there are ways to participate in NASA Science during the eclipse.
"We have the Globe Observer activity where you can document observations," Rayl said. "And on your smartphone, we have NASA Sun Sketcher, where you can actually make measurements and documentation about the size and shape and cloud cover of what you're seeing."
Rayl said there is also the NASA Soundscapes, which allows people to document how the absence of light impacts wildlife.
Click here to check out all of the ways you can contribute to NASA science. Even if you have limited knowledge of science, there are activities for all skill levels.
