The NASA Science Activation project Eclipse Soundscapes (ES), led by ARISA Lab in Medford, Massachusetts, helps learners of all ages explore NASA science through multisensory learning and participatory science opportunities. In the weeks surrounding the 2023 annular solar eclipse and the 2024 total solar eclipse, Eclipse Soundscapes invited volunteer Data Collectors to use AudioMoth acoustic recording devices to document how wildlife responded to the changing light. A total of 989 AudioMoths were registered to the project across the two years, contributing to a substantial participatory science effort focused on eclipse-related soundscape data collection. The Data Collector role was one of several ways the general public participated as volunteer scientists through Eclipse Soundscapes.
After submitting their eclipse audio recordings, many Data Collectors chose to donate their AudioMoths so that these devices could continue contributing to scientific and educational work. One recipient of these devices was DarkSky Missouri, an organization focused on nighttime conservation. Eclipse Soundscapes first introduced DarkSky Missouri to its community in Summer 2024 through a blog post and webinar. Now, ES and DarkSky Missouri share how some donated devices are being used today in a co-written November 2025 blog. Through this collaboration, 19 donated AudioMoths are supporting projects across Missouri that monit …