NASA will fire 3 rockets directly at the solar eclipse on Saturday. Here’s why.

As millions of people across North, Central and South America tilt their heads skyward to watch the partial “ring of fire” solar eclipse tomorrow (Oct. 14), NASA engineers will celebrate the once-in-a-decade event in their own way: By firing rockets directly at the eclipse’s shadow.

Don’t worry — the sun, moon and everyone watching will be just fine. According to NASA, the planned launch of three scientific rockets from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico is part of a purely scientific mission to study changes in Earth’s upper atmosphere during the sudden plunge in daylight that eclipses bring.