On December 2, 2005, National Federation of the Blind (N.F.B.) in Baltimore, U.S.A. hosted an interactive opportunity for a select group of blind students to explore the sun through a new and exciting book Touch the Sun.

The book allows blind and visually impaired students to experience images of the sun and solar activity by feeling transparent raised textures bonded to the pictures.

"Invisible magnetic fields rule the violent solar activity that generates space weather," said Dr. Joseph Gurman, the U.S. project scientist for Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (S.O.H.O.) at National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (N.A.S.A.) Goddard Space Flight Centre. He added, "We are all blind to magnetic fields, so visually impaired people can be just as successful as the sighted in solar science."

The book has been funded by a partnership between N.A.S.A., the Lockheed Martin Corporation's Advanced Technology Centre and the Stanford Solar Centre, Stanford University, U.S.A. It incorporates Braille and large-print descriptions for each of the 16 photographs, so it is accessible to readers of all visual abilities.

"You can explore the sun with embossed pictures of swirling gas currents, dark sunspots, curving magnetic fields and explosive eruptions," said Noreen Grice, author of the book. Previously, she has written two books featuring textured celestial images for the visually impaired - ‘Touch the Universe’ and ‘Touch the Stars’.

The Joseph Henry Press, N.A.S.A. and VIEW International Foundation, organised the event to celebrate the 10 years of sun observations by S.O.H.O., U.S.A.

Approximately 2,500 copies of the latest book will be printed. The majority will be distributed free to blind and visually impaired students with assistance from N.F.B. The rest will be available for public purchase.