Eclipsing Borders is an international effort to engage the public with the science and wonder of the 2026 and 2027 total solar eclipses, across the Mediterranean and beyond. It is coordinated jointly by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education Center Italy and the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach National Outreach Coordinator Italy together with the National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAEC) as well as astronomy communicators and educators from many countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.
Solar eclipses are among the most awe-inspiring celestial phenomena. Their rarity, predictability and dramatic visual impact make them exceptional opportunities to engage the general public with the wonders of the cosmos as well as the scientific process, making sense of the Universe we live in. The marvel of a total eclipse can be transformational for many people experiencing the event, driving curiosity towards STEM topics along with a sense of sharing, reflection, and a prosocial attitude. Besides, the buzz of a total eclipse can be leveraged to extend the engagement into areas where the eclipse is only partial, reaching a much bigger number of people.
Stages of a total solar eclipse. Credit: ESA/CESAR/Wouter van Reeven – CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Explore our collection of resources in a special, interactive Canva presentation.
This is a living document that will be continuously updated, so make sure to regularly check this space! It includes:
Information about the 2026 and 2027 eclipses;
Educational content, activities and other resources about the Sun, the Moon and eclipses (what are eclipses, how often they occur, how to safely observe one);
How to join our initiative, spread the message, create and share new resources.
Eclipsing Borders focuses on three main actions:
collecting existing content, educational resources and activities about eclipses, translating them in several languages and making the available on a single repository;
co-creating new educational resources and activities with the support of an international network of National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs) to be disseminated and tested during the two consecutive eclipses;
conducting workshops about astronomy in marginalised communities in Italy to engage young people with the upcoming eclipses.
Snapshots from the astronomy workshops conducted in Rome.