APOD: 2026 August 13 – Total Solar Eclipse Over Spain
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 13 – Total… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Total Solar […]
On August 13th, 2026, the Moon cast its shadow over Spain during a total solar eclipse, casting a shadow across Siberia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. This celestial event occurred after a gap of nearly a century, as Spain hadn't witnessed a major total solar eclipse since 1905. The image featured in today's Astronomy Picture of the Day showcases the total solar eclipses viewed from Zaragoza, Spain - one over the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar and the other reflected in the Ebro River.
The brief darkness brought about a host of natural responses, with people reporting a chill in the air, birds falling silent, insects chirping erratically, and a collective sense of awe among observers. The corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere, was revealed as the bright disk of the Sun was obscured by the Moon. Scientists study these eclipses to understand why the corona reaches temperatures millions of degrees hotter than the Sun's surface.
Enthusiastic individuals were encouraged to contribute to this research by observing wildlife behavior, imaging the corona, and monitoring air temperature and cloud patterns.
Written by urgent.news from NASA's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- APOD: 2026 August 13 – Total Solar Eclipse Over Spain science.nasa.gov
