The Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast (DEB) Initiative: A network of volunteer citizen scientists observing the Sun

The Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast (DEB) Initiative is a network of volunteer citizen science telescope-observing teams that was initiated to observe the Annular Solar Eclipse of October 2023 and the Total Solar Eclipse of April 2024.  82 teams composed of amateur astronomers, university students, high school students, and astronomy enthusiasts were formed across North America.  Teams participated in training events and practice sessions to be ready for the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses.  Weather permitting, each team collected a series of science and calibration images before, during, and after the eclipses with identical portable solar telescopes. The data collected by those teams during the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is being processed to observe changes in the inner solar corona that occurred during the time that the Moon’s shadow moved across North America.

The project is now moving into a new phase, with teams using their equipment to observe and record white light high energy X-class solar flares. The high levels of activity on the Sun during solar maximum and the large geographic area covered by this telescope network have allowed the team to collect sub-second cadence data on four X-flares to date with preliminary analysis showing a white light flare signature in the highest energy X4.5 flare.

The DEB Initiative plans to continue its work, broadening its network across the planet by recruiting teams from around the world.  Continued efforts are planned to observe solar flares as well as to collect another series of white light coronal images during the August 2, 2027, Total Solar Eclipse which will sweep across North Africa.