Spacecraft Capture August 12 Solar Eclipse; Future Eclipses Announced

Spacecraft captured views of the August 12 total solar eclipse, which plunged millions across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain into a false twilight.

ESA's MTG-I1 satellite provided a view of the moon's shadow darkening Earth's surface. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir photographed a partial eclipse with approximately 18% sun coverage from the Russian segment of the International Space Station on August 12. The eclipse occurred as the moon passed directly between the sun and Earth during its new moon phase.

Looking ahead, two more solar eclipses are scheduled for Spain in 2027 and 2028. A total solar eclipse will take place on August 2, 2027, around 10:50 a.m., offering easier viewing due to the sun's high position. In Spain, totality for the 2027 eclipse will be visible from Ceuta, Melilla, most of Cádiz province, part of Málaga province, and the southernmost areas of Granada and Almería.

This upcoming eclipse will last longer than the August 12 event, with totality reaching 4 minutes and 48 seconds in Ceuta. Meanwhile, early hospital data suggest that the number of people seeking treatment for eye damage after last week’s solar eclipse is lower than after the UK’s last total solar eclipse in 1999. Dozens of people visited UK ophthalmology centers reporting eye problems after the Moon visibly obscured the Sun by at least 90% across the UK on Wednesday, August 12.