Among Donald Trump’s counterproductive, Archie-Bunkeresque proposals is the idea of stopping NASA from studying the Earth. We can’t effectively study the universe and search for other planets that could support life if we don’t collect all the baseline data we can on the one planet that we know supports life.
Plus, if we don’t study Earth, how will NASA make cool maps showing us where we can see the amazing August 21 total solar eclipse?
NASA has combined its Earth mapping data with data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to figure out exactly where the lumpy shadow of the Moon, with all of its mountains and maria, will fall on our own bumpy crusty. Specifically, NASA lists these datasets:
- Blue Marble Next Generation was used for color of the land.
- Shuttle Radar Topography Mission was used for Earth elevations. This is a global elevation map based on a radar instrument flown on Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-99 in February 2000.
- Lunar Digital Elevation Model and Selene/LRO Digital Elevation Model were used for the lunar limb.
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s DE421 provided Earth, moon, and sun positions [Sarah Schlieder, “NASA Moon Data Provides More Accurate 2017 Eclipse Path,” NASA: Goddard Space Flight Center, updated 2017.01.05].
If that eclipse map doesn’t convince you that NASA should keep studying the Earth, throw out your GPS and weather forecasts.
The 2017 eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse to cross the United States from coast to coast since 1918.
I’m so excited for this event and anyone who thinks NASA doesn’t need funding can suck a toe.
My work is sometimes outside and I will look at the NOAA radar, wind speed, and miles between the bad weather and I, multiplied by .60* to determine when rain or snow will be falling on my work area. It is amazingly accurate.
* As “the Crow flies” is roughly 60% of the highway distance
I like that science, Barry! I do something similar with the NOAA radar on my phone, looking at the radar loop to guesstimate how long it will take that green or yellow storm blob to get from Eureka to Aberdeen and whether I have time to go for a bike ride or mow the yard.