Subcommittee on Research and Technology

The Great American Eclipse Subcommittee on Research and Technology

On August 21, 2017, large portions of the continental United States experienced a total solar eclipse that stretched from Oregon to South Carolina. The purpose of the hearing is to review what scientific knowledge was gained from studying the eclipse, how U. S. telescopes and other scientific instruments were used to capture the eclipse, lessons learned from engaging the public and students in grades K-12 in STEM education and activities surrounding the event, and future preparations for eclipses in 2019 and 2024. Preliminary estimates indicate that over 200 million Americans participated in a similar viewing event or watched live-streamed media coverage. It's critical that we learn from this experience and work to keep this level of public interest in space and science as future space activities can only benefit from an engaged and supportive American public. Children who experienced this eclipse may one day be part of the teams of scientists and engineers supporting missions that take us to cislunar space, Mars and beyond. Although a total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth every 18 months, the Great American Eclipse was extraordinary because, for the first time in a century, the path of totality passed across the United States eastward from Oregon and eastward to South Carolina. Those who experienced the total solar eclipse saw the Moon completely cover the bright disk of the Sun, revealing the much fainter corona and solar prominences. They also may have noticed changes in their environment, stars and planets in the mid-day sky, a decrease in air temperature, and changes in bird and animal behaviors. Scientists used the occurrence to study the innermost region of the Sun's corona, which would otherwise not be visible even with dedicated solar probes and ground-based telescopes.