NASA’s volunteer scientists are searching NASA data for new
worlds, asteroids, and comets. They are tracking the impacts of
climate change on lake levels, coral reefs, and mosquito populations.
Hundreds of volunteers have co-authored publications in
professional journals. Many have made new, lasting friendships
with NASA scientists and with one another. Scientific discoveries
made by NASA volunteers include:
• Hundreds of extrasolar planets
• Thousands of brown dwarf stars
• 100,000s of emperor penguin nests
• Most of the known comets
• A new kind of aurora phenomenon

Our volunteer projects, sometimes called “citizen science” projects
are open to everyone around the world, and not limited to U.S.
citizens or residents. They aim to teach you everything you need to
know as you go along - so don’t worry if you never studied science
or forgot what you learned in school. Pick one and try it out!
Just be ready: there are no guaranteed results, and sometimes the
answers will remain unknown. But if you’re tired of just reading
about other people’s groundbreaking discoveries and ready to get
involved, visit science.nasa.gov/citizenscience.

Projects with the require no prior knowledge, experience, or
special tools beyond a computer or smartphone. Other projects
may involve going to a specific location or using tools such as a
backyard telescope.

Jon our team, Hilltowns Observers, on the GLOBE app, and do Citizen Science reporting all year long!

Discover how animals react during the total solar eclipse. Observe your pet or nearby animal.
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On Monday, April 8th, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible from Mexico and Texas to Maine and New Brunswick, Canada and the rest of North America will be able to experience a partial solar eclipse! Join us for the Solar Eclipse Safari so, together, we can discover if and how an eclipse affects animals.
See the "ECLIPSE" tab to learn more about the eclipse and when it will be in your area.
Questions: [email protected].

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
If you would like to help gather data for our project, there are two ways for you to get involved:
   1) Before the day of the eclipse, you can sign up to be a Project Ambassador and recruit others in your group or area to collect data.
   2) Sign up to collect animal behavior data yourself. You can plan to do that electronically on your own device (a phone or tablet), or you can print the data collection sheets in advance of the eclipse and then upload them afterwards.
Click here to sign up to receive reminders before the eclipse and updates about our findings after the eclipse.

On Monday, April 8th, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible from Mexico and Texas to Maine and New Brunswick, Canada and the rest of North America will be able to experience a partial solar eclipse! Join us for the Solar Eclipse Safari so, together, we can discover if and how an eclipse affects animals.

See the "ECLIPSE" tab to learn more about the eclipse and when it will be in your area.

Questions: [email protected].

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

If you would like to help gather data for our project, there are two ways for you to get involved:
   1) Before the day of the eclipse, you can sign up to be a Project Ambassador and recruit others in your group or area to collect data.
   2) Sign up to collect animal behavior data yourself. You can plan to do that electronically on your own device (a phone or tablet), or you can print the data collection sheets in advance of the eclipse and then upload them afterwards.

Click here to sign up to receive reminders before the eclipse and updates about our findings after the eclipse.

WHAT PARTICIPATION WILL INVOLVE

Prepare (~15 minutes)
   1) Review training materials on the Trainings tab.
   2) If you plan to record your data on paper, print the data collection form.
   3) Make a plan to observe the eclipse.
      • Know when the eclipse maximum will be in your observation area (see training videos).
      • Plan to be at your observation location an hour before the eclipse maximum.
   4) Remember to get authorized protective eyewear to view the eclipse.

Participate (~1-2 hours)
   1) Select the animal you’d like to observe. This could be a pet, a zoo animal, a farm animal, or any animal in nature.
   2) Begin watching before the eclipse. We’d like for you to start an hour before the maximum of the eclipse where you are.
   3) Record observations at specific time intervals indicated on your data collection form until your animal’s behavior returns to normal. Each observation should only take a few seconds. You can record observations on using a smartphone or tablet or on paper forms.

After the eclipse (~10 minutes)
   1) If you’ve recorded data on a paper form, after the eclipse, come back to this page and follow the instructions.
   2) Answer some questions about your experience.

Celebrate!
Consider sharing a #EclipseSafariSelfie and tag #OneMillionActsofScience if you want your post published on CitizenScienceMonth.org.

The next Total Solar Eclipse to visit North America will be April 8, 2024. The duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that of The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017. The 2017 total solar eclipse was witnessed by about 20 million people from Oregon to South Carolina, and the upcoming 2024 Great American Eclipse is sure to be witnessed by many millions more.

Rensselaerville will have a view of the total eclipse! This gives us the excellent opportunity to be Community Scientists that can help NASA and other organizations collect observations for their research projects! Pretty cool, huh?  Look for new blog posts to learn how you can participate.


Always remember the most important eclipse lesson: Keep Your Eyes Safe!

Eye Safety During a Total Solar EclipseExcept during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. But there are many ways you can safely look at the sun. Visit NASA's website to learn more.