The total solar eclipse that will cross Spain on 12 August 2026 can also be experienced through sound thanks to the Eclipse Inclusivo project led by the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC). Around 55 public eclipse-viewing events across the country will include dedicated eclipse sonification spaces as part of the project, which aims to ensure that people with visual impairments can fully experience this remarkable astronomical phenomenon.  

Eclipse Inclusivo provides eclipse event organisers with LightSound devices free of charge. Developed to convert changes in sunlight intensity into sound in real time, these devices make it possible to follow the progress of a solar eclipse through hearing. The project received around 100 applications from organisers planning eclipse observations around the path of totality. Today, the project is releasing the national map of eclipse sonification locations, which can be consulted here.

At these sonification spaces, anyone will be able to experience the eclipse through the real-time sounds generated by the LightSound devices. As the eclipse progresses, changes in solar illumination are translated into variations in pitch, creating an immersive auditory experience. While this technology makes the eclipse accessible to people with visual impairments, it also offers all visitors a unique and engaging way to experience the event from a different perspective.

"Access to a total solar eclipse should not depend on the ability to see. Accessible tools such as the LightSound devices allow people with visual impairments to become the protagonists of their own experience, directly perceiving the evolution of the eclipse without relying on someone else to describe it," says Jorge Rivero, coordinator of the Eclipse Inclusivo project. "Totality is an extraordinarily emotional moment shared simultaneously by millions of people. Making it accessible means ensuring that this collective experience can also be lived first-hand by those who have traditionally been excluded from it." 

Thanks to the commitment of numerous public administrations to include eclipse sonification spaces in their official programmes, the project will be present at several of Spain's leading eclipse observation events. Among the highlights is the official eclipse observation event organised by the Government of Spain at the Yebes Astronomical Centre (Guadalajara).

Catalonia will be one of the regions with the widest deployment of the project through the Catalonia Looks to the Sky programme promoted by the Department of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia. LightSound devices will be available in ten municipalities identified by the regional government as priority eclipse observation locations. ICE-CSIC will also organise an eclipse sonification event in Reus together with Reus City Council and the Astrodiversitat association. Other regions, including Aragón and Cantabria, will also incorporate eclipse sonification spaces into their official eclipse observation programmes.

What are LightSound devices?

Developed by Harvard University's LightSound project, these devices use Arduino technology to convert light intensity into sound. During a solar eclipse, as the Moon gradually covers the Sun, the device produces sounds that become progressively lower in pitch and quieter until they disappear completely during totality, allowing users to hear the evolution of the eclipse. The devices can be connected to headphones for an individual experience or to loudspeakers for a shared public experience. By recording changes in light intensity, they also create a unique sonic record of the eclipse.

LightSound devices have already proven their effectiveness during previous total solar eclipses in the United States of America (2017 and 2024) and in Chile and Argentina (2019–2020). They enabled many people with visual impairments to perceive and enjoy these astronomical events, transforming eclipse observation into a truly multisensory experience.

Thanks to funding from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), the Eclipse Inclusivo project has produced 120 LightSound devices during three assembly events held in May and June: two involving researchers and engineers at ICE-CSIC, and one volunteer workshop hosted at TransfoLab in Barcelona.

Workshops for people with visual impairments

In the months leading up to the eclipse, the project has organised workshops for people with visual impairments in collaboration with the Spanish National Organization of the Blind (ONCE) and the Catalan Association for the Integration of Blind People (ACIC). These workshops have taken place in several locations across Catalonia and have welcomed both adults and families with visually impaired children.

Participants have explored the Sun and solar eclipses through tactile educational materials, including three-dimensional models of the Sun and Moon. They have also learned about the different types of eclipses and the path of the 12 August eclipse using raised-relief diagrams developed jointly by ICE-CSIC and ONCE's Educational Resource Centre. Finally, participants have been introduced to the LightSound technology and informed about the locations where the devices will be available so they can experience the eclipse themselves. These inclusive workshops have been complemented by additional activities in occupational centres throughout Catalonia.

"Inclusion initiatives such as those developed through the Eclipse Inclusivo project should not be seen as exceptional actions, but as a lasting commitment. Only then can we ensure that people who cannot see an eclipse still have the opportunity to hear it, feel it and experience it. Our greatest ambition is for this project to leave a lasting legacy by building long-term partnerships with associations and organisations so that these collaborations continue to grow and make science outreach increasingly inclusive," says ICE-CSIC researcher Claudia Gutiérrez, a member of the Eclipse Inclusivo project team.

Eclipse Inclusivo's hands-on workshop at ONCE-CRE in Barcelona. Credits: ONCE-CRE.