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Your Donated AudioMoths Are Powering New Science!
Your Donated AudioMoths Are Powering New Science!
Contributing Authors: MaryKay Severino, Vayujeet Gokhale, Rosanne LaBaige, Erin Nichols, Michael Dawson, Matt Barton, Jean Nock, Don Ficken
Eclipse Soundscapes (ES) volunteers continue to make an impact long after the eclipses. Many people chose to donate their AudioMoth devices after submitting their ES data. Because of this generosity, these recorders now have a second life supporting scientific and educational work.
Nineteen donated devices are already in use through a growing collaboration with DarkSky Missouri, a project led by Don Ficken that is working to connect people with the sounds of the night. Scientists, educators, and community leaders are using them to explore and understand the sounds of the night. We first highlighted DarkSky Missouri’s work in an August 2024 post and webinar.
📝 Post: Dark Sky Missouri Uses AudioMoths to Study Nature at Night (August 9, 2024)
▶️ Webinar: Harnessing AudioMoths for Nighttime Nature Conservation (August 21, 2024)
Here’s how the collaboration has grown with the help of donated AudioMoths.
What is an AudioMoth?
A small, open-source device powered by 3 AA batteries that records environmental sounds, from bird calls and insect activity to human-made noise.
Where to donate my AudioMoth?
DarkSky Missouri c/o Don Ficken
13024 Barrett Crossing CT
St. Louis, MO 63122-4900
Questions? dficken@darkskymissouri.org
Donated Audiomoths are getting a second life at ...
At Truman State University, Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale is incorporating AudioMoths into their Freshman Seminar course “Dark Skies: A Natural Resource.” The course encourages students to appreciate the beauty of the night sky and to develop an appreciation of different life forms active after dark.
Listening to Nature After Dark
As one part of the course, between 8-10 AudioMoths will be installed in and around the main campus and the Truman farm, where the Truman observatory is based, to gather local nature sounds. Three students will monitor and care for each instrument, sharing collected data with the campus DarkSky student group, the Campus Environmental Committee and Student Club.
Connecting Light, Wildlife, and Conservation
This work also supports ongoing campus efforts to reduce light pollution and protect local wildlife. Truman State is installing fully shielded, dark-sky-friendly outdoor lights with color temperatures below 3000 K, which minimize glare and reduce disruption to nocturnal animals. Learning about which bird species are active on this Audubon-certified Tree Campus will help demonstrate to university stakeholders how these light improvements benefit local wildlife. Check out some Truman lighting pictures here.
Sharing Results with the Community
A short report summarizing the results of these observations will be shared with the Eclipse Soundscapes Community, DarkSky Missouri, and other campuses participating in the Campus SHINE initiative (https://www.campusshine.org/).
In the Mehlville School District, Library media specialist Erin Nichols is helping students tune into the world around them. Through two new projects that use AudioMoths, students will explore how sound connects to art, music, movement, and the natural environments across their school campuses.
Exploring Sound Through Art, Music, and Movement
At MOSAIC Elementary, Nichols is collaborating with the art, music, and PE teachers to build upon the first-grade sound unit by incorporating AudioMoths into a new lesson. Students will record sounds in nature and compare them to the tones of musical instruments, the rhythms of PE activities, and the textures of art materials. They will also hypothesize what each sound might look like and express their ideas through original artwork. This creative, cross-disciplinary project helps students explore how sound connects to both the natural world and human activity.
Exploring Biodiversity Across School Campuses
Another project now being planned involves MOSAIC, Bierbaum, and Wohlwend Elementaries to explore biodiversity on each school’s campus. Using AudioMoths to record nature sounds and comparing the amount and quality of green space at each site, students will investigate how natural areas affect local wildlife. This exploration may lead to future opportunities to create more native habitats on school grounds, giving students additional ways to connect with nature and learn about the importance of protecting native species.
Missouri Master Naturalists will continue their efforts to use AudioMoth devices to monitor nocturnal flight calls and explore nighttime ecology. Volunteers across the St. Louis metro area, including members of DarkSky Missouri, Missouri Master Naturalists, the St. Louis Audubon Society, and the Audubon Center at Riverlands, are deploying AudioMoth devices to capture the faint nocturnal calls of migrating birds each May and September.
Listening to the Night Sky
In one example, the program recorded flight calls over Gateway Arch National Park, identifying species such as the American Redstart, Least Sandpiper, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Missouri Master Naturalists from the Miramiguoa chapter have joined the effort, placing AudioMoths in nature reserves, backyard habitats throughout the metro area, and at a college observatory in southeast Jefferson County.
Connecting Data to Conservation Action
By documenting when birds are overhead, the team aims to raise awareness about the impact of light pollution on migratory pathways. This data supports community collaboration with Lights Out Heartland to encourage lighting practices that protect birds and promote the health of all living things.
The Saint Louis Zoo is preparing a sound-at-night program and will use donated AudioMoths to replace non-functioning units in their collection.
Supporting the WildCare Spring Peeper Program
The Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Spring Peeper Program will use donated AudioMoths to replace non-functioning units in their collection to assist with an ongoing bioacoustics survey of frogs/toads in the Saint Louis Metro Area. The devices will be used to replace non-functioning units to assist with an ongoing bioacoustics survey project titled “Spring Peeper Program: STL-Metro Presence & Absence Survey of non-arboreal Hylidae Species.”
Listening for Frogs after Dark
This study will focus on surveying the statistical metro area of Saint Louis for the presence or absence of the following three species: Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer), Boreal Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris maculata), and Cricket Frogs (Acris crepitans blanchardi).
Pay it Forwards - How to Donate Your AudioMoth
If you still have an AudioMoth you’d like to donate for use in education and nighttime science, the DarkSky Missouri team welcomes additional contributions. Send your device to:
DarkSky Missouri
c/o Don Ficken
13024 Barrett Crossing CT
St. Louis, MO 63122-4900
Questions? Reach out to Don at dficken@darkskymissouri.org.
Thank you again to ES volunteer scientists for being a part of Eclipse Soundscapes and for helping scientific exploration continue long after the 2023 and 2024 eclipses.
From Collection to Discovery: Why Processing Takes Time
From Collection to Discovery: Why Processing Takes Time
By MaryKay Severino
If you mailed us a little microSD card for Eclipse Soundscapes, you might be wondering: what happened after it left your hands? Why did processing take over a year? The short answer: scale and complexity.
Think about it.
- Nearly 1,000 AudioMoth devices were registered across both eclipses (219 in 2023 and 770 in 2024).
- Over 600 microSD cards were mailed back (126 in 2023 and 477 in 2024), each with hours of audio.
- Two eclipses happened only about six months apart, which meant we were still receiving and logging 2023 data while also updating protocols, training new volunteers, and preparing free kits for 2024.
- Some cards came with carefully written notes about time and location, while others had only online notes, only handwritten notes, both, or none at all. That mix made every envelope a surprise, sometimes a complete package and sometimes a puzzle to solve.
When plans met reality
In 2023, things were fairly straightforward on paper. We had not yet invited people to use their own devices, so most returns came in the standardized envelopes we provided, each clearly marked with an ES ID. Even so, sorting took longer than expected. We had originally planned for about 50 sites in 2023 and 200 in 2024, but so many people were excited to join that we expanded both years. That surge meant every microSD card had to be carefully logged by hand, checking whether we had the card itself, the online location info, and any written notes. We worked hard to be transparent by releasing several shared “data dashboard” spreadsheets on the website and posting social media reminders to check them. These updates let participants know what we had on file for them, but the process was still manual work, card by card.
By 2024, when volunteers were invited to purchase and use their own AudioMoths, participation grew even bigger and the returns became more varied. Instead of neat, uniform envelopes, we began receiving packages of all shapes and sizes, many without an ES ID on the outside. Matching each one to online or handwritten notes added another layer of complexity and time.
Device prep behind the scenes
For the 2023 annular eclipse, we prepped and mailed 219 kits before the event (64 for ES partners and team, 155 free kits). These devices were shipped with batteries uninstalled, which meant participants had to set the device’s internal clock themselves. That turned out to be more complicated than expected and also revealed that some AudioMoths might malfunction.
Between 2023 and 2024, we ran battery usage tests to see if we could set the clocks and install batteries before mailing and still have enough battery power left by eclipse day. The answer was yes. That change made things easier for volunteers in 2024, but it also added more work for the ES team. While we were still receiving and processing 2023 data, we were preparing and mailing 390 additional free kits for 2024. Each device had its time manually set before mailing, in addition to batteries installed.
One thing remained consistent in both years: every AudioMoth required a firmware update, which had to be performed one by one by connecting the device to a computer. We also logged each device’s serial number, manually assigned an ES ID, and labeled the device in both written and braille formats.
Beyond the devices themselves, we also provided everything a Data Collector might need, so it was as easy as possible to focus on the science of data collection. Each kit was assembled by hand with return labels, bags, and zip ties, and packaged one by one. This careful preparation was time-consuming but essential for keeping everything organized and supporting volunteers.
Two eclipses, back to back
It was incredibly exciting that the 2023 annular and 2024 total eclipses happened so close together. The 2023 eclipse gave us the chance to test our protocols for the first time, then immediately improve them for 2024. But it also meant the timelines overlapped. While we were still receiving and logging annular data, we were also reviewing what went well for Apprentices, Observers, and Data Collectors in 2023, updating trainings, preparing free kits, and making improvements for the total eclipse. The quick turnaround left us with some catching up to do once the 2024 data began arriving.
Training improvements took time
After the 2023 annular eclipse, we carefully reviewed what went right and what could be better across all three roles: Apprentice, Observer, and Data Collector. That review directly shaped some big changes for 2024. In addition to having complete instructions on the website, we added more live Q and A sessions, more live trainings, and quick tips that went out weekly in the days and weeks before the total eclipse. These changes helped Data Collectors feel supported and prepared (and also improved training for ES Observers), but the careful review and the work to build new materials also took time.
We began receiving cards in October 2023, with huge influxes in the two months after the 2023 annular eclipse and again after the 2024 total eclipse. The last wave arrived at the end of 2024, leaving us with a mountain of data ready to process.
What happens behind the scenes
Processing was not just opening envelopes. It took custom computer programs written by the ES team to check every recording for a timestamp. If a device malfunctioned or was never set to the right time, we reviewed the Data Collector’s handwritten notes to determine the time and time zone. All times then had to be converted to UTC.
We also had to calculate the exact eclipse times for each site, based on latitude and longitude. Some people entered this information online, others wrote it by hand, and some used formats that did not match the guidance we provided. That meant our team often converted locations by hand, corrected missing negatives in coordinates, and double checked any site that appeared in the middle of the ocean.
To keep participants in the loop, we regularly updated a public “data dashboard” spreadsheet that showed what we had received for each site, including microSD cards, online notes, and written notes. Social media posts pointed people back to this dashboard so they could confirm their information. We also shared maps of sites and a feedback form where participants could flag errors or confirm details. Each case was resolved one by one, with as many fixes made as possible.
In total, five custom programs were developed to handle audio data, mapping, eclipse timing, and other tasks. All of this code, along with full documentation, will be released publicly on GitHub by the end of 2026.
It was a bit like receiving thousands of puzzle pieces from hundreds of different puzzle boxes. Each piece matters, but first we had to sort them into the right box before we could put the bigger picture together.
Why your effort mattered
Even if your recording did not end up in the final published analysis, your participation still mattered. Every card, every note, and every attempt helped us refine the process and build one of the most extensive eclipse sound archives ever created, which is on track to be publicly available by the end of 2026. You helped prove that a project of this scale is possible.
Explore the full journey
Want to see exactly how data moves from envelopes on our desks to public access on Zenodo? Check out the Data Processing Stages section of the Your Data in Action page. There you will find the full flowchart and a plain language explanation of how we move data from collection to discovery.
👉 Your Data in Action: Processing Stages
Volunteer Science: ES Observer Role
Volunteer Science:ES Observer Role
The lesson plans in the Observer Curriculum have been designed to help prepare students by equipping them with the scientific observation skills and vocabulary they will need to be Eclipse Soundscapes Observers. Now they are ready to participate as ES Observers. Below are two handouts to send home with your students to guide them in this activity:
Click here to download Eclipse Soundscapes Project info & Participation Roles Info Flyer (PDF) This flier will provide parents/guardians with more information about the Eclipse Soundscapes Project. Credit: L.Fuller and ES Team for Eclipse Soundscapes with NASA support under award No. 80NSSC21M0008
To help take effective notes, we recommend using the Eclipse Soundscapes Field Notes handout on Eclipse day.
Click here to download your own Field Notes paper (PDF) [English]
Click here to download your own Field Notes paper (PDF) [Spanish]
Click here to open the Field Notes paper as a Google Doc Copy [English]
Post Eclipse Day - Data Literacy Classroom Activity
We hope you will encourage your students to submit their observations online to the Eclipse Soundscapes Project as it it is very valuable to the science of the eclipse soundscapes project! And, anyone who submits their observations will receive a downloadable ES Observer certificate!
One way to support your students in submitting their observations to the Eclipse Soundscapes project while also helping them improve practical web-form related data literacy skills is to add a post-eclipse ES Observer activity!
You could have your students bring their eclipse observation notes to school after the eclipse. Together you and your students could discuss their observations! Then your students could utilize their notes to fill out the online observation submission web form! All ES Observers should submit their observations on the ES Observer page.
To preview what the online survey will look like, Click here to download ES Observer Role Survey Preview PDF.
ES Observers Under 13
ES Observers under 13 years old will not be asked for their name or email address. The latitude and longitude entry is optional for people under 13 and only allowed if completed with the guidance of an adult.
ACTIVITY FEEDBACK
We want to hear from you! If you used either of these activity ideas or any of these resources, please submit your feedback via a short survey!
Lesson Plan: TEMPLATE
Lesson Plan:What is a solar eclipse?
Created in collaboration with Tracey Kline, Lynn Public Schools, Lynn, MA
Grades 6-8, NGSS: MS-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
NGSS STANDARD
LEARNING/ CONTENT/ LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE:
LANGUAGE DEMAND:
Essential / Academic Vocabulary:
LESSON STRUCTURE
Lesson Beginning / Frame the Learning
(Clear entry routine, Do-Now, Activator, etc.; Frame the lesson by sharing and explaining lesson objective, agenda, and goals)
Differentiation
What supports and scaffolds am I providing based on the WIDA can-do descriptors?
Do Now:
Review the objectives with the students.
Do Now Word Bank & Sentence Starters
- Provide word bank and sentence starters for students who need it.
Resource: WIDA can-do descriptors
Lesson Middle
(I do- teacher directed; We do- practice with the teacher; You do- partner/small group application with teacher support)
* Revisit language objective and agenda; formative assessment- check for understanding (intervention and extension opportunities available)
Differentiation
What supports and scaffolds am I providing based on the WIDA can-do descriptors?
I do:
We do:
You do (Pairs):
Pairing strategy: Partner earlier proficient ELs with later proficient ELs or native English speakers.
Resource: WIDA can-do descriptors
Lesson End
(You do- independent application; Summarize learning; Clear exit routine)
* Formative assessment-exit ticket, check for understanding, etc.
Differentiation
What supports and scaffolds am I providing based on the WIDA can-do descriptors?
You do:
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
How am I measuring success? (Connection to your Content/ Language objective)
LESSON RESOURCES
- LINK TO LESSON PLAN (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/or edit the above lesson plan to best meet your needs.
- LINK TO SLIDES (Google Slides): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google slides. This will allow you to edit either of these slide options to best meet the needs of your classroom.
- LINK TO HANDOUT (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/edit the Google document to best meet the needs of your classroom.
Lesson Plan: What is a Solar Eclipse
Lesson Plan:What is a solar eclipse?
Created in collaboration with Tracey Kline, Lynn Public Schools, Lynn, MA
Grades 6-8, NGSS: MS-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
NGSS STANDARD
MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. (Clarification Statement: Examples of models can be physical, graphical, or conceptual.)
LEARNING/ CONTENT/ LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE:
Students will be able to describe what a solar eclipse is in writing using a diagram.
LANGUAGE DEMAND:
Essential / Academic Vocabulary: solar eclipse, cosmic chance, orbit, shadow
LESSON STRUCTURE
Beginning / Frame the Learning
Middle
End
(clear entry routine, Do-Now, Activator, etc.; frame the lesson by sharing and explaining lesson objective, agenda, and goals)
(I do- teacher directed; we do- practice with the teacher; you do- partner/small group application with teacher support)
(you do- independent application; summarize learning; clear exit routine)
Do Now: Notice and Wonder:
Look at the diagram and write down 3-5 sentences and/or questions.
- Teacher will provide a diagram of a solar eclipse without it being labeled a solar eclipse.
- Have students share some of their thoughts on the diagram with the whole class and write them down on chart paper.
- Diagram provided in Lesson Resources below.
Review the objective with students.
* Revisit language objective and agenda; formative assessment- check for understanding (intervention and extension opportunities available)
I do:
- Teacher shows a 1 minute video clip to students that describes what a solar eclipse is and why they occur. Teacher should stop and explain when needed throughout the video.
- Read text with the whole class. Teacher should stop and explain when needed.
- Video clip and text provided in Lesson Resources below.
You do (pairs):
- In pairs, students will complete two-column notes using the reading. They work together, but must each write the notes so they each have a copy.
- Two Column Notes provided in Lesson Resources below.
- Teacher should collect the reading from the students before the “You do” activity. The students should keep their notes.
* Formative assessment-exit ticket, check for understanding, etc.
You do:
- Individually, students will use their notes to create two diagrams and write about each diagram. One diagram will show the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth during a solar eclipse. The second diagram will show the Moon’s orbit around Earth misaligned so that a solar eclipse does not occur. Students will write 2-3 sentences explaining each diagram. Student Directions: 1. Draw a diagram of a solar eclipse. Label the Sun, Earth, and Moon. Write 2-3 sentences explaining why solar eclipses happen. 2. Draw a diagram of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. Write 2-3 sentences explaining why there is not a solar eclipse every month.
DIFFERENTIATION
What supports and scaffolds am I providing based on the WIDA can-do descriptors?
DO NOW Word Bank/Sentence Starters:
- Provide word bank and sentence starters for students who need it.
I notice …
I wonder…
Two Column Notes Modifications:
- Provide cloze/fill-in-the-blank notes for students who need support finding information.
- Adapt the provided Cloze Two Column notes HANDOUT by adding numbers next to each topic and then write these numbers on the student’s text next to the paragraphs in which they can find the topic and its details.
- Two Column Cloze Notes provided in Lesson Resources below.
Diagram & Writing Modifications:
- Provide diagrams without labels.
- Provide sentence starters.
Diagram 1 shows ______.
Solar eclipses happen because ________ .
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
How am I measuring success? (Connection to your Content/ Language objective)
Teacher can measure student success based on the diagrams and writing.
LESSON RESOURCES
- What is a solar eclipse? LESSON PLAN (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/or edit the above lesson plan to best meet your needs.
- What is a solar eclipse? LESSON SLIDES (Google Slides): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google slides. This will allow you to edit either of these slide options to best meet the needs of your classroom.
- Video Clip, START – 00:57, from Solar Eclipse 101 | National Geographic – Video clip is also embedded in Lesson slides. Entire video is not recommended for this lesson.
- Do Now “What is a solar eclipse” HANDOUT (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/edit the Google document to best meet the needs of your classroom.
- Text/Reading “What is a solar eclipse” HANDOUT (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/edit the Google document to best meet the needs of your classroom.
- Two Column Notes for “What is a solar eclipse” HANDOUT (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/edit the Google document to best meet the needs of your classroom.
- Two Column CLOZE Notes for “What is a solar eclipse” HANDOUT (Google Doc): When you open this link you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google document. This will allow you to download, print, and/edit the Google document to best meet the needs of your classroom.
LESSON FEEDBACK
We want to hear from you! If you used this lesson plan or any of these resources, please submit lesson plan feedback via a very short form! It should take less than 5 minutes!
