Listening to the Shadow of the Moon: NASA's Eclipse Soundscapes

The NASA-backed Eclipse Soundscapes Project, due to take place on April 8, 2024, was initiated with the intention to probe into the effects of total solar eclipses on different ecosystems. This citizen science project collects audio and multisensory recordings from the public, providing insights into how animal and insect behaviors are impacted during eclipses. The project seeks to augment the findings of historical studies with modern technology for a holistic analysis. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project, with funding from NASA, is set to evaluate the impacts of total solar eclipses on diverse ecosystems. The data for the project comes from public observations and audio recordings, which would be collected on April 8, 2024. The project encourages widespread participation to gain a deeper understanding of the changes in animal behavior during solar eclipses.

During a total solar eclipse, when darkness covers the landscape, the environment undergoes peculiar changes. Birds stop singing, tricked by the false dusk, crickets begin chirping, and bees retreat to their hives.

While such uncharacteristic behaviors in animals have been reported for hundreds of years, the overall effect of an eclipse on plant and animal life is yet to be fully comprehended. Hence, on April 8, 2024, the Eclipse Soundscapes Project, funded by NASA, seeks to collect data on the auditory and visual experiences to ascertain how different ecosystems respond to a solar eclipse.

Kelsey Perrett, Communications Coordinator of the Eclipse Soundscapes Project, said, "Though eclipses are usually perceived as a visual event – something that is observed, we aim to illustrate that they can also be studied multisensorily – through sound, feelings, and other observations."

In April 2024, anyone can join the Eclipse Soundscapes Project and support NASA researchers to comprehend the effects of solar eclipses on wildlife. The project encourages volunteers to observe using any senses, aid in data analysis, and collect sound recordings. Interviews from Eclipse Soundscapes experts MaryKay Severino, Dr. William “Trae” Winter III, and Dr. William Oestreich, along with Dr. Chace Holzhueser, a natural resource manager at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, who will be performing similar research during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns just before the Sun, obstructing its light from reaching some parts of the planet. Within areas totally devoid of the Sun's light – known as the "path of totality" – it appears like dusk with a sudden decrease in temperature and visible stars. These changes can deceive animals into changing their common daytime behaviours. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur over North America, providing an excellent occasion for extensive citizen science research.

Similar to a study conducted by American scientist William M. Wheeler on the 1932 total solar eclipse recorded approximately 500 public observations. The current Eclipse Soundscapes Project intends to emulate and further develop on this research.

The project aspires that modern tools will facilitate in replicating and enhancing the previous study to better grasp animal and insect behavior. This understanding would be based on multisensory observations like audio recordings and documented accounts of what observers see, hear or feel during the eclipse. Focusing particularly on cricket behavior, the project aims to resolve questions as to how nocturnal and diurnal animals act differently or become increasingly or decreasingly vocal during a solar eclipse.

Perrett added, "The more audio data and observations we collect, the more accurately we can answer these questions. Contributions from collaborative scientists enable us to delve deeply into individual ecosystems to ascertain how each of them is impacted by the eclipse."

People interested in joining in the study, whether for online learning about eclipses, collection of multisensory observations and audio data, or data analysis work, are welcomed by the Eclipse Soundscape Project. The project enthusiastically invites participation from people of all backgrounds, irrespective of their location. The roles designed for the project accommodate accessibility to encourage participation from visually impaired or blind individuals alongside their sighted colleagues.

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project utilizes an AudioMoth device, kept hanging from a tree branch, for capturing the sounds during an eclipse. Credit: Eclipse Soundscapes Project

People on or near the path of totality can participate as “Data Collectors” by using an AudioMoth device, a low-cost audio recording device called equipped with a micro-SD card, to capture the sounds of an eclipse. People can also participate as “Observers” by writing down their multisensory observations and submitting them to the project website after the eclipse. Anyone with an internet connection, can participate as an “Apprentice” by learning about eclipses or as a “Data Analyst” to help analyze the audio data after the eclipse. After completing an Eclipse Soundscapes role, a downloadable certificate will be available.

“When it comes down to it, answering our science questions about how eclipses impact life on Earth depends entirely on the data that people volunteer to contribute,” Perrett said. “Our participants, including our project partners and facilitators, allow us to span the entire eclipse path and collect way more data than would be possible for just one small team.”