Category Archives: North America

LightSound Devices Open Up Astronomy to BVI Audiences

The LightSound Project had a goal of building and donating LightSound solar eclipse sonification devices to audiences along the October 2023 annular and the 2024 total solar eclipse path (USA, Mexico, Canada). LightSound is a device that uses a light sensor to measure the brightness of light and the device then converts it to sound […]

Workshops Build Solar Eclipse Sonification Devices

The LightSound Project is building and distributing solar eclipse sonification devices across the United State, Mexico, and Canada in preparation for the upcoming October 14, 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse and the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. The project runs workshops to teach students and adults how to solder while building devices that are then […]

Overview: LightSound Project: Accessibility for the Blind/Low-Vision Community

The LightSound Project began in 2017 as a way to make solar eclipses accessible to the blind and low-vision (BLV) community. LightSound is a low-cost, smartphone-size device that uses Arduino technology to convert light intensity to sound, giving BLV people another way to engage with an eclipse. During the 2017 eclipse, we deployed 3 devices […]

Sonification Project Improves Science Engagement

The SYSTEM Sounds project produced 9 Sonification videos (True Love Waits, Saturn Harp, Jupiter’s Moons, Black Widow Pulsar, Black Widow Pulsar (Narrated), Music of K2-187 Exoplanets, Light Curves of K2-187, Entire Light Curve of K2-187, Moon Impacts). The videos have been viewed over 185 000 times on YouTube and the project was featured on space.com, […]

‘DIY Universe’ Virtual Summer Program Enriches Learning During the Pandemic

DIY universe Virtual Summer Program

Families rely on summer programs to provide enriching experiences, a supportive community, and to address gaps in learning. Due to social distancing constraints during the summer of 2020, youth faced months of unfocused, unstructured time during which it was expected that learning gaps would expand between those whose families were able to provide alternative enriching […]