The Museum of Flight in Seattle is no stranger to unique aircraft, and Monday’s total solar eclipse is attracting a special plane from NASA which will offer the first glimpse of the rare event off the coast of Oregon as it collects data.
NASA’s Gulfstream III science aircraft arrived on Sunday from the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It will be using the museum as a base for two days as it flies out of Boeing Field to conduct an airborne science mission over Oregon and capture the first video images of the eclipse.
Have you heard?! @NASAArmstrong will kick off NASA TV Coverage of 2017 Solar Eclipse! Learn more here: https://t.co/oDOUCNj2cB pic.twitter.com/boKTmTsKdF
— NASA Armstrong (@NASAArmstrong) August 17, 2017
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, is among those leading the effort for the agency, and this weekend he’s been tweeting images, including a crew briefing, the plane on the tarmac, and a dry run off the Oregon coast.
Crew brief for @NASAArmstrong G-III mission to the #eclipse2017 pic.twitter.com/FwTGUofDGn
— Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) August 20, 2017
Bound for Oregon for #Eclipse2017 on #G-III @NASAArmstrong pic.twitter.com/kkX8WNC7Xp
— Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) August 20, 2017
#Eclipse2017 dry run off the coast of OR in @NASAArmstrong #G-III. Can't wait for the cosmic moment MON morning w/ #LoriLosey #CarlaThomas pic.twitter.com/gl1ExN2mwr
— Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) August 20, 2017
NASA officials and Museum of Flight educators will guide the public through a free solar event from the museum lawn from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Monday. The first 1,000 visitors to the museum will receive ISO-certified safe, NASA-branded glasses for watching the eclipse.
Live coverage of NASA’s Eclipse MegaCast live coverage will be shown in the museum’s theater from 9 to 10:45 a.m. It’s free with admission to the museum.
Check out this video to learn more about the aircraft and the mission:
