Eclipse Soundscapes Training: What Is Eclipse Maximum? (Observer and Data Collector Roles)

This instructional video explains the concept of eclipse maximum for both annular and total solar eclipses within the context of the Eclipse Soundscapes (ES) project.

The video defines eclipse maximum as the moment of greatest solar coverage at a given location. For participants within the path of annularity during the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse, eclipse maximum corresponded to annularity. For participants within the path of totality during the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, eclipse maximum corresponded to totality. For locations outside these paths, eclipse maximum referred to the time of greatest partial solar coverage.

Understanding eclipse maximum was essential for both ES Observers and ES Data Collectors. Observation windows and audio recording protocols were structured around this timing, requiring participants to observe or record for a minimum of ten minutes before eclipse maximum, during eclipse maximum, and ten minutes after eclipse maximum. Accurate identification of eclipse maximum supported consistent and comparable data collection across geographically distributed sites.

The video also provides solar eclipse safety guidance, emphasizing eye protection requirements during annular and partial eclipses, when certified eclipse glasses or solar filters must be worn at all times while viewing the Sun. It also clearly explains the distinction between annular, partial, and total eclipse viewing conditions to prevent unsafe viewing practices.

This video was part of the official Eclipse Soundscapes (ES) training materials and is preserved to document the scientific framing, participation protocols, and accessibility-informed instructional design provided to volunteer scientists. Archiving this resource supports transparency, methodological consistency, and future reuse of the Eclipse Soundscapes participation framework.

General Eclipse Soundscapes Project Information

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project (ES) was a NASA Volunteer Science project funded by NASA Science Activation that studied how solar eclipses affect life on Earth during the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse and the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. ES revisited a historic study from the early 1900s showing that animals respond to eclipses and used modern technology and public participation to expand that research.

Eclipse Soundscapes was an enterprise of ARISA Lab, LLC and was supported by NASA award No. 80NSSC21M0008. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in materials from the project were those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.