Totality and Pi(E): A Connection to a Total Solar Eclipse and NASA.

Solar energy is the primary source of energy used to warm our planet. As changes occur in the amount of sunlight we get, there are also changes in the air temperature, clouds, and wind (). A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks the Sun completely, such as occurred on April 8, 2024, in North America. This created a teachable moment where science teachers could use pi(E) (with “E” referring to energy) to look at lower temperatures as the Moon blocked energy from the Sun. With the aid of NASA scientists and the ARISA Lab Eclipse Soundscape team, research was conducted in Jersey City, New Jersey which experienced 90.02% eclipse cover at 3:25 pm. For this research study, we investigated the changes in air temperature, surface temperature, and cloud cover during the solar eclipse. Results indicated that the temperature decreased significantly; the air temperature changed by 7.6oC and the surface temperature changed by 4.9oC. Â