Three first-year University of Rochester students, Asad Shahab, Adam Bowen, and Michael Koomson, are set to help NASA study the sun's corona as a total solar eclipse passes over Rochester, New York on April 8. The students are part of the Citizen CATE 2024 experiment, one of over 30 teams nationwide participating in the project.
Shahab, an applied math major, shared his excitement for the project, stating, "Astrophotography has been a hobby of mine for a long time and when I saw the Google ad looking for participants, I thought, ‘I have to do this.’" He further expressed his honor to represent Rochester and be part of a NASA-sponsored initiative, stating, "Who doesn’t want to participate in something sponsored by NASA? It’s a dream."
The experiment, coordinated by the Southwest Research Institute in partnership with NASA, aims to understand the variations in the sun's corona across the solar activity cycle by comparing data from 2017 to 2024. By stitching together observations from multiple points along the eclipse's path, scientists will gain valuable insights into the sun's corona, which is typically challenging to study due to its dimness compared to the sun's surface.
NASA provided the student team with necessary equipment, including a telescope, mount, camera, laptop, and other tools to capture observations during the eclipse. The students will track the sun throughout the event, taking images at regular intervals and recording a video of the solar eclipse in totality.
The trio of students, despite facing competitive applications, was chosen to lead efforts for the region, showcasing their dedication and passion for astronomy and scientific research. As they prepare to contribute to this significant study, the students are eager to play their part in advancing our understanding of the sun's corona.
