Darci Collins
Wesleyan University
Contact: dkcollins@wesleyan.edu
REU Student - Summer 2016
Montana State University
Advisor: Dr. Angela Des Jardins
Research Project
This summer I am working on preparing the No IR filter camera for the balloon launch during the 2017 total solar eclipse and investigating our interest in the near infrared spectrum. The BOREALIS (Balloon Outreach, Research, Exploration and Landscape Imaging System) team will launch the camera during the eclipse to approximately 80,000-100,000 feet in altitude (99% above our atmosphere). The eclipse gives us the unique opportunity to observe the chromosphere and corona without the sun's light obscuring both. We are interested in the near IR spectrum because we can see a significant amount more of the IR spectrum at this altitude.
