Solar eclipse 2024: Concordia students to take part in NASA project

Solar eclipse: Students assist NASA project

Students at Concordia University Texas will be taking part in the Radio JOVE project with NASA and using radio telescopes to study Monday's total solar eclipse.

AUSTIN, Texas - It’s no surprise the total solar eclipse has caught the attention of many people.

After taking an astronomy class at Concordia University, Antoneitte McConnell realized she wanted to change her education major to biology.

"Dr. Johnston is an aficionado of radio telescope in radio astronomy and something that in her training that she has done to just further her own education," said McConnell.

Dr. Mary Kay Johnston at Concordia University experienced five eclipse sightings in 30 years, all around the globe, including in Antarctica and Argentina.

Her interest in eclipse sightings inspired her to teach it at the university.

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"I learned so much from her about radio technology. It's a side of astronomy that I don't think a lot of people realize is there, or how much that we can get from it," said McConnell.

MORE ON THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

Under the mentorship of Dr. Johnston, McConnell is taking part of the Radio JOVE project sponsored by NASA where she will use a radio telescope to study this eclipse.

"We can piggyback off of other radio scientists who are out there, use their readings from their telescopes, and make science applicable inside of the classroom setting," said McConnell.

On Monday, McConnell will be studying the radio frequency and wavelengths of the total solar eclipse.

"It tells an even greater story of what's going on in space. And how are things that you might not see on an everyday basis, like these atoms, how are they interacting with each other, and how is that influencing the magnetic fields around those planets," said McConnell.