CATE 2024

A large group of people pose near a telescope

The CATE 2024 leadership team gathered in San Antonio, TX for a training on telescope operation and community engagement in preparation for the 2024 total solar eclipse.

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse (where the moon completely blocks out the Sun) crossed over the U.S., with the path of totality spanning from Texas, through the Midwest, and up through Maine. The CATE 2024 mission, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and NASA, placed 36 identical telescope setups along the path of totality that were teamed by 250+ community scientists. All teams were provided with a telescope, camera, laptop, various other observing equipment, and educational materials. This equipment is now in local communities across the path to be used for further astronomical and solar science outreach. 

The images collected during the eclipse were polarized images, which allow scientists to better understand where and how light is coming from the Sun, and gain a better sense of the structure of the solar corona, the outermost layer of the Sun. The CATE 2024 project leads hope this was a unifying experience among participants and that it sparked a deeper interest in exploring the mysteries of our Sun.

 

Major Project Partners:

  • Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
  • U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR)
  • NSF National Solar Observatory (NSF NSO)

 

Gathered in Darkness Documentary

As part of CATE 2024, EdEC directed and produced a 26-minute documentary about the project.  The film follows community scientists during the CATE 2024 mission as they collaborated with professional astronomers, prepared for, and gathered data of the corona during the 2024 total solar eclipse.

 

Request a Screening

Are you a school or community group interested in hosting your own screening of Gathered in Darkness? Fill out our Request a Screening form to receive a streaming or downloadable link of the film.

 

Film Credits

  • Produced in collaboration with Southwest Research Institute and Truce Studios
  • Director, Producer & Editor: Daniel Zietlow
  • Writer: Amy Turner
  • Co-Producers: Amir Caspi, Sarah Kovac, Rebecca Haacker
  • Consulting Producer: Julie Jackson
  • Consulting Co-Producer: Ryan Vachon
  • Assistant Editor: Ben Fout

 

Copyright Notice:

© 2025 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

 

Attribution and Use:

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