The project “Total Solar Eclipses in Spain and the NATE Experiment”, led by the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) in collaboration with institutions from Spain and Morocco, aims to take advantage of the total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027, to carry out research, training, outreach, and international cooperation activities.

Inspired by the U.S.-based Citizen CATE project, it proposes the deployment of a network of synchronized telescopes operated by scientists, students, teachers, and amateur astronomers to obtain high-resolution data on the solar corona. The project includes a preparatory phase during the 2026 total solar eclipse over the Iberian Peninsula and a main phase in 2027 during the eclipse crossing North Africa.

The initiative seeks to strengthen open science, human capital development, and international collaboration, while helping to establish the Canary Islands as a leading region in astrophysics and space science.