On August 12, a total solar eclipse swept across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. The Moon fully obscured the Sun, revealing the solar corona to observers positioned along the path of totality.
Image credit: image shows the progression of a total solar eclipse over a field of sunflowers in San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Aug. 12, 2026. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsIn Maine, a photographer captured the International Space Station passing the partial eclipse. Meanwhile, an astronaut 250 miles above Earth took photos of the phenomenon from space.
Image credit: image of a partial solar eclipse, which is veiled by clouds, the International Space Station, with a crew of seven aboard, appears in silhouette as it transits at roughly five miles perCruising at 50,000 feet, NASA's WB-57F research jet flew directly through the eclipse shadow. The flight prolonged observation time, capturing detailed images of solar prominences and the corona.
Image credit: NASAStudent teams in Spain and Iceland deployed high-altitude balloons during the eclipse. Even beneath cloudy skies in Iceland, sensors successfully logged how reduced sunlight affected the lower atmosphere.
Image credit: NASAA NASA photographer in Spain tracked the full eclipse cycle, recording the partial stages before totality and following the Sun until it dipped below the horizon.
Image credit: photograph of a total solar eclipse captured from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Aug. 12, 2026. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsPrior to the event, scientists used supercomputers and satellite data to forecast the corona's structure. They later matched their predictions against real composite pictures taken near León, Spain.
Image credit: photograph taken from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Aug. 12, 2026. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsResearchers are analyzing the gathered images and measurements to understand how solar activity impacts Earth. These insights help build a clearer picture of our Sun's complex behavior.
Image credit: NASALessons learned from this eclipse will guide science teams for future solar events. Researchers are already preparing for a longer total eclipse scheduled for August 2, 2027.
Image credit: photograph of a total solar eclipse captured from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Aug. 12, 2026. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsContinue with another visual space report selected from our latest published Stories.
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