Solar eclipse: A rare show with scientific secrets

Chasing the moon's shadow to better understand the sun. That's the mission of these NASA scientists. They'll photograph the solar crown during the eclipse. The only part of the sun that will remain visible. Viewing an eclipse from 50,000 feet provides a really clear shot of the sun. And that allows the scientists to have confidence in the data that they're seeing. The photos will enable them to study the heat produced by the sun Flying in the same direction as the moon's shadow, the pilots will experience the eclipse for three minutes. Longer than on the ground, where it will last a maximum of two minutes, 18 seconds. In the north of Spain, where there'll be a total eclipse, weather balloons will examine the changing atmosphere, while Spanish biologists will study the reactions of birds to the sudden darkness. Experts say there's little risk for animals. They won't be disturbed by the light as it is only very short, only two minutes, so the circadian rhythm won't change. They will only be affected for a short amount of time. Scientists plan to make the most of the short duration of the eclipse for research purposes.