Total solar eclipses shine a light on the solar wind with help from NASA's ACE mission

From traversing sand dunes in the Sahara Desert to keeping watch for polar bears in the Arctic, a group of solar scientists known as the "Solar Wind Sherpas" led by Shadia Habbal, have traveled to the ends of the Earth to scientifically observe total solar eclipses—the fleeting moments when the Moon completely blocks the Sun, temporarily turning day into night. With the images, they've uncovered a surprising finding about the Sun's wind and its wispy outer atmosphere—the corona—which is only visible in its entirety during an eclipse.