On 12 August 2026, millions witnessed Europe's first total solar eclipse in over two decades. The Moon covered the Sun across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal.
Image credit: European Space AgencyCities like León hosted public science festivals. Over 25,000 visitors joined interactive workshops, created custom pinhole cameras and safe tactile tools to experience the shadow.
Image credit: European Space AgencyThe European Space Agency broadcast live from the Javalambre Observatory, bringing one minute and 21 seconds of totality to global audiences alongside commentary from leading solar scientists.
Image credit: European Space AgencyJust before complete blockage, sunlight streaming through lunar valleys created tiny beads of light along the Moon's edge. A final flash produced the striking diamond ring effect.
Image credit: European Space AgencyTotality exposed white coronal streaks extending outwards into space. Bright red prominences clung tightly to the solar surface, captured in high detail by dedicated astrophotographers across the continent.
Image credit: imaged by Marina ProlRare total eclipses offer astronomers precious ground-level views of the outer solar atmosphere. Studying these brief dark moments aids spacecraft observations from missions like Solar Orbiter and Proba-3.
Image credit: European Space AgencyEarth observation satellites tracked the Moon's dark shadow sweeping over the planet. Simultaneously, ESA's Proba-3 spacecraft created artificial eclipses directly in Earth orbit to study solar physics continuously.
Image credit: European Space AgencyTwo more solar eclipses will soon cross Europe. A remarkably long total eclipse arrives on 2 August 2027, followed by an annular ring of fire in January 2028.
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