05/08/2026
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A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, blocking the face of the Sun and sending a narrow strip of Earth’s surface into darkness. With the Sun’s dazzling disc covered, we get a unique chance to see its wispy atmosphere. Stars and planets appear in the sky. The temperature drops. The wind picks up. And birds and insects may behave as if it’s nighttime.
On 12 August 2026, a solar eclipse will be visible across much of Europe. The narrow path of totality – where the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon – will cross Greenland, Iceland, a small area of northeastern Portugal, and finally Spain. Other parts of Europe will see a partial solar eclipse, where the Moon appears to take a ‘bite’ out of the Sun, slightly dimming its light.
To celebrate the eclipse, ESA is hosting a live broadcast from the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel (Spain). Spain offers excellent viewing conditions as the eclipse crosses the country from west to east.
About the livestream
Tune into the live broadcast via ESA Web TV or ESA’s YouTube channel from 19:30 CEST on 12 August.
The broadcast will be hosted by Dame Dr Maggie Aderin, award-winning space scientist and science communicator. It will feature ESA’s Director of Science Professor Carole Mundell, as well as ESA scientists Andy To, Miho Janvier and Martin Hewitson, and observatory director Javier Cenarro.
Through live interviews, explainers and spectacular imagery, viewers will discover topics ranging from the mysteries of the Sun and its corona, to how one famous eclipse changed our understanding of gravity, and how ESA is now creating artificial solar eclipses in space.
The highlight will be the coverage of 1 minute and 21 seconds of totality at 20:31 CEST, as the Moon plunges Javalambre into complete darkness. As well as telescope feeds and drone shots of the eclipse, we will capture Maggie and Carole’s responses to witnessing this extraordinary phenomenon.
Have a question about the eclipse? Send it in using #AskESA on Bluesky or X. A selection will be answered live during the broadcast. Find out more towards the end of this article.
The broadcast will be presented in English. It will end at about 20:45 CEST.
About the observatory
The Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre is a world-class astronomical observatory located within the path of totality. It mainly consists of two professional telescopes designed to carry out large-sky astronomical surveys that help astronomers study galaxies, dark energy and the structure of the cosmos.
Importantly, viewing conditions at the observatory are excellent, with cloud cover rare and light pollution low. The location offers a very clear view to the western horizon, where the Sun will be beginning to set as it is eclipsed by the Moon.
Additional small telescopes will be taken up to the observatory to observe the eclipse. A live feed from these telescopes at the observatory will provide continuous views as the Moon passes in front of the Sun, offering close-up observations of the different phases of the eclipse.
Javier Cenarro, Director of the observatory, will be interviewed during the live broadcast about Javalambre and its importance for a future ESA space science mission.
Continuous coverage of the eclipse during the broadcast
In addition to the telescope feed from Javalambre, ESA will receive live observations from two more locations within the path of totality, increasing the likelihood of including high-quality imagery in the live broadcast. One feed will originate from ESA’s public event in León, while the second will come from Frómista (Palencia), where our collaborator Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel, affiliated with the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, the Complutense University of Madrid, and the Stars4All Foundation, will be carrying out eclipse observations.
Prefer to join us in person?
We are joining hands with the City of León and the University of León to organise a free public event at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de León. Most of this event will be in Spanish.
From 10:00–14:00 CEST, visitors can explore a wide range of hands-on workshops, experiments and interactive activities designed for all ages. In the late afternoon, the programme moves outdoors. Gates open at 17:30 CEST, giving visitors plenty of time to find a place before the main stage programme begins at 18:30 CEST.
Find out more here.
Join the conversation and #askESA on social media
Join the conversation using the hashtag #EuropeanSolarEclipse on Bluesky and X.
Follow @science.esa.int on Bluesky and @esascience on X for detailed live coverage of the eclipse event and a behind-the-scenes look at broadcast preparations.
Curious to know more? Ask your questions on social media using the hashtag #askESA on Bluesky and X. A selection will be answered during the live broadcast, including the name/username of the account that asked the question. The rest will be answered directly via social media.
Several videos about the eclipse have been posted on ESA’s YouTube, Instagram and TikTok channels.
Follow the most important milestones and ESA more generally on:
Bluesky: @esa.int
X: @ESA
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency
TikTok: europeanspaceagency
YouTube: ESA
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency
LinkedIn: European Space Agency – ESA
Further information, updates and resources related to the eclipse are available on www.esa.int/solareclipse. From the main ESA website, audiences can also explore ESA missions studying the Sun and its interaction with Earth, including Solar Orbiter, Smile and Proba 3.
Important: Looking directly at the Sun without proper protection can cause serious eye damage. Regular sunglasses are not safe for observing a solar eclipse. To watch the eclipse safely, always use certified eclipse glasses that meet the appropriate safety standards and wear them at all times during the partial phases. Only during totality – when the Moon completely covers the Sun – is it safe to briefly look without protection. As soon as the Sun begins to reappear, eclipse glasses must be worn again.