A look back at the 2026 total solar eclipse

On 12 August 2026, Europe witnessed its first total solar eclipse since 2006, as the Moon fully obscured the Sun for viewers in Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal. The event drew millions outdoors, where daylight faded, temperatures dropped and the Sun’s outer atmosphere became visible. Observers noted the diamond ring effect and the corona’s white streaks and red prominences. ESA’s Director of Science, Professor Carole Mundell, described the phenomenon as ‘boggles the mind’ during a live broadcast from Spain.

ESA coordinated live telescope feeds from León, Palencia and Javalambre, while photographers across Europe contributed images. Earth observation satellite MTG-I1 tracked the Moon’s shadow, and Proba-3 captured a double eclipse from orbit. ESA’s live broadcast, hosted by Dame Dr Maggie Aderin, included 1 minute and 21 seconds of totality from Javalambre, featuring expert commentary on the Sun’s corona and historical eclipses. The programme reached audiences unable to travel to totality zones.

In León, Spain, ESA partnered with local institutions to host a free public event attended by 10,000–12,000 people. The daytime programme offered workshops, experiments and interactive activities, including an ‘inclusive eclipse’ session with tactile models and light-to-sound demonstrations. Attendees also built pinhole cameras for safe solar viewing. Evening activities featured science talks and expert guidance through the eclipse’s stages, with live feeds from multiple sites.

ESA highlighted two future solar eclipses in Europe: a total eclipse on 2 August 2027, with extended totality visible from southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East, and an annular ‘ring of fire’ eclipse on 26 January 2028 over Portugal and Spain. Resources and activities related to the 2026 eclipse and upcoming events are available at www.esa.int/solareclipse.