SOLAR ECLIPSE: Thursday, June 21st, sky watchers in parts of southern Africa will enjoy a mind-blowing spectacle: a total solar eclipse. Veteran eclipse chasers say there's no substitute for being inside the Moon's shadow where the temperature drops, wildlife grows quiet, and the Sun's ghostly corona springs to life. Nevertheless, we'll do our best to share the experience with you on Thursday by posting digital images of the eclipse and near real time temperature readings from the path of totality.

Tune in to SpaceWeather.com for more information about the event, including a preview of what African observers might see courtesy of coronagraphs on board the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.