Reveal the True Shape of the Sun
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Image Credit: Clinton Lewis / WKU
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What is SunSketcher?
At its core, SunSketcher is an app anyone can use to photograph a solar eclipse. First used during the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse, we are now counting down to the next total solar eclipse on August 12th, 2026. Mass participation will generate an incredible database of images that, when analyzed together, could allow scientists to map the Sun.
As Principal Investigator Gordon Emslie put it, "The 2024 Eclipse offers an unprecedented opportunity to measure the shape of the Sun and so to infer its inner structure. The SunSketcher project will use smartphone observations by Citizen Scientists situated along the two-thousand-mile-long eclipse path from Texas to Maine to reveal the precise shape of the solar disk."
These photos were taken during the October 2023 annular eclipse using a pre-release version of the SunSketcher app.
Lead Android Developer, Travis, sets up his phone to capture the 2023 Annular Eclipse during the SunSketcher beta test. The team viewed the eclipse in Odessa, TX, from the UTPB Stonehenge Replica.
We Know What You're Thinking...
"We don't know the shape of the Sun?" you ask. Nope. Well, not exactly. Scientists have a pretty good idea, but it's not nearly as precise as it could be. As you'll see on our Research page, our hope is to change that—measuring the Sun's oblateness to an accuracy of a few parts in a million!
Wait, maybe you were going to ask "Where can I view the eclipse?" In that case, we've linked an interactive map of the eclipse (courtesy of Xjubier) below for your convenience. That is...unless you were you actually going to ask something about the app? Or maybe about eclipse glasses? This mind reading thing is harder than I thought. If only we had a page where we address frequently asked questions. *sigh*
How Does It Work?
We knew you were going to ask that! So we made this short tutorial. From downloading the app to using it on eclipse day, this video goes over it all.
If you're still wanting to dig deeper, here's those fun little buttons again. Don't you worry; we've got plenty of information spread through here.
The Latest from SunSketcher
SunSketcher is Supported by NASA
The SunSketcher project is brought to you in part by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). If you'd like to explore other citizen science and volunteer opportunities sponsored by NASA, check out the links below. You can also check out NASA's handy guide to staying safe while viewing an eclipse.
Disclaimer: The material contained in this document is based upon work supported by a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) grant or cooperative agreement. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA.
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