Science Through Shadows explains how astronomical alignments reveal the universe

NASA-funded Science Through Shadows, led by Fiske Planetarium, offers a series of short films showing how eclipses, occultations and transits help scientists study celestial bodies; the videos are freely available in English and Spanish in 2D and fulldome formats.

Science Through Shadows is a media project funded by NASA's Science Activation program and led by Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado Boulder that examines how shadow events—eclipses, occultations and transits—help scientists study the cosmos. The project produced a set of short films that explain observational techniques, highlight recent missions and events, and feature students, educators and volunteer citizen scientists. The videos are offered free in English and Spanish and come in 2D formats for streaming and classrooms as well as fulldome masters for planetariums. Episodes focus on specific events and campaigns to show both the science and the people involved. What the project covers: - The October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse and how annular eclipses differ from total eclipses. - The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse and how totality reveals the Sun's corona for scientific study. - The Lucy occultation campaign (February 3, 2023), where more than 100 telescopes across two continents observed asteroid Polymele passing in front of a star. - NASA missions featured include the Parker Solar Probe (closest approach reported December 24, 2024, with speeds above 430,000 miles per hour) and the PUNCH mission of four small satellites to observe the corona and heliosphere. - Citizen science efforts highlighted include the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project and Citizen CATE 2024, where students, educators and volunteers collected atmospheric and solar data. - Distribution details: 2D videos are on Fiske Planetarium's YouTube channel and downloadable fulldome masters (1K, 2K, 4K) are available via Fiske Productions for planetariums. Summary: The films demonstrate how moments of alignment—when one object briefly blocks another—allow measurements of sizes and shapes, detection of atmospheres, and refinement of orbits while showcasing collaborative work between professional scientists and volunteers. The project makes these educational resources available in multiple formats for classrooms and planetariums. Undetermined at this time.