Help Make the Eclipse Megamovie a Coast-to-Coast Success

This announcement is posted on behalf of Dan Zevin, Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley:

The Eclipse Megamovie Project will gather images of the total solar eclipse that will cross North America on 21 August 2017 from more than 1,000 amateur and professional astronomers and other volunteer photographers — and from members of the general public as well. We’ll then stitch these media assets together to create an expanded and continuous view of the total eclipse as it crosses the United States over the course of some 90 minutes.

Join Google, the University of California, Berkeley, and others in this first-of-its-kind citizen science project! The Eclipse Megamovie Project is currently recruiting qualified participants. Our aim is to recruit more than 1,000 photographers with the appropriate equipment and skills (see below) who will be on the path of totality. After applying, you will participate in online training and submit a practice image before the eclipse. Once you qualify, you will receive a pin to designate your status as part of the official Megamovie Photo Team, your name will be included in the credits of the final Eclipse Megamovie, and you'll also receive assistance with preparing for the eclipse and news about special offers and other perks exclusively for Megamovie Photo Team members!

To participate, please visit our website at eclipsemega.movie and follow these simple steps to apply:

1. Sign In with a Google-associated email address
2. Click your profile photo or otherwise go to your profile and click on "CREATE ACCOUNT"
3. Indicate by clicking on the location map provided precisely where you plan to view and take images of the eclipse, then click "Save"
4. Click on the type of camera or device with which you plan to take images of the eclipse, then click "Save"
5. Lastly but most important of all, if you meet the proper location and equipment criteria, you can now click on the "Apply" button to fill out an application to be a member of the official Megamovie Photo Team.

Once you apply, our partners at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific will be in touch with you and continue to engage you in preparing for the eclipse.

We look forward to working with you on this history-making project! If you have questions, please address them to [email protected] and we'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. For continuous updates on the project, please join our Google Group.

Basic equipment and skills necessary for participating in the Eclipse Megamovie Project:

• Camera: interchangeable lens digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless)
• Telephoto or zoom lens: minimum focal length of 300mm
• A stable and level tripod
• The ability to identify the GPS coordinates and time of your photographs to the nearest second