This was originally published as the June 2025 CitSci newsletter. Want citizen science in your inbox? Subscribe today.

Hey from the CitSci team!

It’s summer: the days are longer, the skies are weirder (hello, space clouds 👀), and it’s the perfect time to try something new in citizen science. 

Whether you’re scanning the horizon to spot night-shining clouds for NASA, or giving your profile a glow-up, we’ve got fresh ways for you to explore, create, and connect this month. ☁️📷🛠️

🔎 What’s in this newsletter:

● Spot rare “space clouds” and contribute to NASA’s atmospheric research

● Update your CitSci profile (no more gray mystery blobs!)

● Check out new tools and tips for project leaders

● Help more people discover your citizen science project, by integrating with SciStarter (the world’s largest citizen science database)

Let’s get into it 👇

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🌌 Space Cloud Watch: Report Night-Shining Clouds!

Pictured: Noctilucent Clouds observed from Bozeman, MT on 16 July 2009 at 4:29 MDT. The Space Cloud Watch project needs more photos like this one to diagnose changes in the atmosphere! Photo credit: Dr. Joseph A Shaw

Ever spotted clouds that glow at twilight? Those are noctilucent clouds—rare, icy clouds way up in Earth’s atmosphere, and they may be changing due to climate shifts, rocket launches, and more. 

Join NASA’s Space Cloud Watch to help scientists track these shimmering wonders by submitting your own photos and observations (all photos welcome: old and new)—or even noting when you don’t see them. Every report helps build the first-ever global map of these mysterious clouds.

📷 Join Space Cloud Watch to get started!

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🖼️ No More Gray Blobs! Update your CitSci Profile

We’re trying to inspire more community at CitSci, as people increasingly use tools like the project forums to chat with other CitSci participants. 

To that end, this is a great time to add some personality to your CitSci profile by uploading a photo to replace the gray placeholder image—and it doesn’t have to be a selfie! A favorite nature pic, your pet, or your field notebook works just fine if you want to protect your privacy. 

Just head over to your profile (make sure you’re logged in first) to upload an image.

Pictured: Caroline, our comms lead, recently updated her CitSci profile pic.

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🛠️ New Tools & Tips for Project Leaders

Whether you’re brand new to CitSci or already running multiple projects, we’ve got fresh tools and guides to make your life easier!

✅ New Feature Roundup: From adding Instagram links to your project page to posting announcements that go straight to your participants’ inboxes, explore all the latest upgrades to your CitSci toolkit. Plus, the datasheet creator now supports multi-select fields (meaning participants can select multiple options for an answer) on both web and mobile!
🔗 Read our blog for the full list

📝 How-To: Build Your First Project + Datasheet
Launching something new? Our step-by-step guide walks you through creating your project, setting up your first datasheet, customizing privacy settings, and collecting the exact data you need—no tech background required.
🔗 Get the full guide

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🌐 Get More Eyes on Your Project: Enable SciStarter Integration

Want to grow your project’s reach with minimal effort? With just one toggle, your CitSci project can become a SciStarter affiliate—featured in the world’s largest citizen science catalog. That means more visibility, smarter volunteer recruitment, and the ability for participants to track their contributions across platforms (great for scouts, students, and workplace credit!).

🔄 Turn it on and off anytime in your project’s settings
📈 Reach libraries, schools, agencies, and global audiences
📣 Learn how to integrate with SciStarter

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Support Students with a Gift

Help us raise $10,000 to support student software developers who want to make a difference! CitSci students gain hands-on experience in participatory science while working alongside experienced developers to improve community projects. Many have gone on to careers in nonprofits, government, and industry.

A gift of $10, $20, or more provides meaningful work and learning experiences for students—and who knows, they might be working for you one day!