The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) will broadcast a special program live and free of charge to mark the total solar eclipse via its official YouTube channel.
The production and technical setup will be located at Cerro del Otero in Palencia, from where a program featuring science outreach, technical analysis, and institutional segments will be broadcast, with the goal of bringing cutting-edge astrophysics to the general public. The broadcast will be hosted by science journalist and head of the IAC’s Scientific Communication and Culture Unit, Verónica Martín, with support from IAC science communicator and astrophysicist Irene Puerto.
The broadcast will feature interviews with key figures at the event, including Palencia Mayor Miriam Andrés Prieto; IAC Director Valentín Martínez Pillet; and Migdalia Machín, the Canary Islands Government’s Minister of Science, Universities, and Innovation, among other dignitaries. The broadcast will also include a live feed from the telescopes that will be capturing the eclipse and the solar corona.
The choice of Palencia as the broadcast location coincides with the program of events that the IAC has organized in collaboration with the Palencia City Council and the Canary Islands Government’s Department of Universities, Science, Innovation, and Culture, which includes a trial run of the NATE project.
NATE Project
The NATE project, launched by the IAC in collaboration with other institutions such as Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and the NSO, will establish in Morocco, in 2027, a coordinated network of stations with telescopes operated by teams composed of high school and university students and faculty from the three participating countries, as well as astronomers and engineers from the IAC, UM6P, and the NSO.
Prior to this year’s eclipse in Palencia, the various teams will conduct a crucial rehearsal and training session. The scientific work will take place in full view of the public, and the team of experts will also spend three days in Palencia and the surrounding area to inspire a passion for science, astronomy, and solar physics, and to help people rediscover the sky as a source of wonder.
The team will organize talks, workshops, and safe solar observation stations; cand serve as a bridge between scientific work and public participation. In this way, while the protocol and data transmission from the NATE network are being tested with the scientific team and students, the public will enjoy a fun, festive day filled with accessible activities.
Inclusive Eclipse
In addition, through the use of the LightSound tool, in collaboration with the Eclipse Inclusivo project of the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), people with visual impairments will be able to enjoy the event at Cerro del Otero from a designated area where they will be provided with the necessary technological tools.
