Solar eclipse 2024: 3 rocket launches during solar eclipse may be seen in NYC

Solar eclipse 2024: Weather forecast for NYC

Solar eclipse 2024! FOX 5 NY's Mike Woods has the forecast for NYC, as well as other towns across New York.

NEW YORK CITY - NASA plans to launch three sounding rockets into the Earth's upper atmosphere today while the moon partially veils the sun's luminous disk.

(NASA Wallops)

The NASA map above shows that NYC will catch glimpses of the rockets 30 to 42 seconds after takeoff.

The Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path sounding rockets will blast off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, just so scientists can study the disturbances in the ionosphere when the moon eclipses the sun.

There will be three different launch times: 45 minutes before the peak eclipse, during, and 45 minutes after. NASA states that the different intervals are pivotal for collecting data on how the sun's sudden disappearance affects the ionosphere — which the space agency says could potentially interfere with our communications on Earth.

Projections show the APEP rockets are expected to reach a maximum altitude of 260 miles. Each rocket will measure charged and neutral particle density and surrounding electric and magnetic fields.

The crew is capitalizing on this solar eclipse, because the next one is not until 2044.

Click here for NASA's mobile-friendly interactive map

The public can watch the launches in person from 1-4 p.m. at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center. It will also be visible from Chincoteague Island, Assateague Island, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, and the Delaware Seashore.

Watch the livestream of the APEP launch below:

LiveNOW from FOX will air live coverage of the event live from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. as the eclipse crosses the U.S. on Monday, April 8. Stream live here on this page or on our CTV app FOX Local.

FOX 5 DC and FOX Weather contributed to this report.

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