As a total solar eclipse sweeps across parts of Europe and the Arctic on 12 August 2026, scientists worldwide will be focused on the Sun. However, you don't need to be a professional astronomer to contribute to cutting-edge research. Several citizen science initiatives are inviting the public to play a crucial role in gathering data, offering opportunities for participation during the eclipse and throughout the year.
A total solar eclipse, a phenomenon occurring approximately once every 18 months somewhere on Earth, happens when the Moon perfectly aligns to obscure the entire disc of the Sun from our perspective. This rare cosmic event provides a valuable window for scientific observation. This August, a partial eclipse will also be visible across much of Europe, including the UK, as well as Canada, north-west Africa, and parts of the US.
One project encourages those in the path of totality to record 'shadow bands'. These elusive, wavy patterns appear on the ground moments before and after totality, caused by the interaction of Earth's atmosphere and the obscured Sun. Participants simply need to set up a camera to film a white sheet positioned perpendicular to the Sun's direction. The collected footage will help quantify how these bands vary with altitude and distance from the centre of totality.
Another initiative, SunSketcher, leverages smartphone technology to precisely measure the Sun's shape. By capturing 'Baily's Beads' – tiny points of sunlight visible around the Moon's edge just before and after totality – from numerous geolocated positions, researchers can create an incredibly accurate map of the Sun's deviation from a perfect sphere. Users can simply set up the app to take carefully timed photos while they enjoy the spectacle.
Even if you are only experiencing a partial eclipse, you can contribute to the Gaia4Sustainability project. This ongoing programme, which uses small sensor devices to measure sky brightness and other meteorological factors, aims to better understand light pollution. During the eclipse, these same sensors can record atmospheric changes caused by the reduction in sunlight, providing valuable data on atmospheric dynamics. The more data points collected from different locations, the more comprehensive the research will be.