Why every solar eclipse viewing event needs a disco ball
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2026
Solar eclipses offer unparalleled opportunities for public engagement in astronomy. Large groups of people often gather to view eclipses, and these events require affordable and easy-to-use tools to safely observe the Sun. One unique way to observe a solar eclipse is by using a disco ball. Here, we present an analysis of the experiences of educators who used a disco ball as a solar projector during various public outreach events. Through a survey conducted shortly after the April 2024 total solar eclipse and the March 2025 partial solar eclipse, we collected data on the use, engagement, and perceived educational value of a disco ball projector from 31 individual events. The results suggest that disco balls were not only affordable and safe, but
also popular and educational.
also popular and educational.
eclipses
public engagement
astronomy
solar physics
Författare
Valerie Rapson
State University of New York (SUNY)
Alexander Pietrow
Leibniz-Gemeinschaft
Robert Cumming
Chalmers, Rymd-, geo- och miljövetenskap, Onsala rymdobservatorium
Jill Burns
Glen Grove Elementary School
Ali Cotton
Yashashree Jadhav
Stevens Institute of Technology
Maria D. Kazachenko
University of Colorado
National Solar Observatory
Casper Pietrow
Universiteit Leiden
Livia Pietrow
Universiteit Leiden
Dennis Schatz
National Science Teaching Association
Elliot Severn
Sacred Heart University
Sundar Srinivasan
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
William Thornburgh
Eastern Kentucky University
Andrea Warkentin
Round Rock Public Library
Hayley Yasui
Carden School of Fresno
Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal (CAPjournal)
1996-5621 (ISSN)
Vol. 19 2 1-22Infrastruktur
Onsala rymdobservatorium
Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi
DOI
10.5281/zenodo.17181556