As the April 8, 2024 total eclipse approaches, scientists and staff with the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) are preparing a variety of experiments and outreach projects to further our knowledge of the Sun and engage various communities in observing and understanding this extraordinary and rare event.

Eclipse experts are available to discuss eclipses, why eclipses are important for studying the Sun, and what research NSF NCAR is participating in during the April 8, 2024 eclipse.

The research coming out of the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) in 2023 ranged from fascinating to impactful. From La Niñas and El Niños to supercomputers named after wind and the impacts of literal wind, here are the highlights of NSF NCAR’s top science stories from the past year.

Scientists are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to view the Sun’s poles — or at least produce an educated guess of what the Sun’s poles might look like, since they’ve never been observed before.

A proposal for a spacecraft that would take a fresh look at the Sun — enabling a never-before-seen view of our star’s magnetic field — has received $2 million in funding from NASA for further study.