See Magnificent Photos of the Total Solar Eclipse Over Europe That Showcase the Sun's Beauty and the Wonder of Skywatching

The moon’s shadow swept over Earth on Wednesday, captivating millions across the planet. It was the first total solar eclipse since the North American eclipse of April 2024 August 13, 2026 7:00 a.m. Totality reveals the solar corona over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain. NASA / Bill Ingalls Darkness falls. Temperature drops. Fiery hues appear along the horizon. When the moon snuffs out the sun during a total solar eclipse, the ground beneath its shadow takes on an otherworldly atmosphere, transforming, for a few fleeting moments, into an eerie, daytime twilight. On August 12, for the first time since April 2024, totality bathed a portion of the Earth in this ethereal dusk. Parts of northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a tiny corner of Portugal experienced the total eclipse, while wider swaths of Europe, Africa, Asia and North America saw a partial eclipse. More than 15 million people lived in the path of totality, and just under one billion lived in a zone that could see any part of the event. Millions more traveled to witness the spectacle. As totality neared, birds in Iceland were “screaming like they would at dusk,” reported the New York Times’ Amelia Nierenberg. In the fjords of Greenland, the crowd fell into a stunned silence, and in Mallorca, viewers broke out into applause as boats honked their horns from offshore. Humans only get to experience total solar eclipses because of what NASA calls a “cosmic coincidence.” The sun is roughly 400 times farther away from our planet than the moon is, and the moon is roughly 400 times smaller than the sun. As a result, both celestial objects appear to be the same size in our sky—so when their alignment is just right, the moon looks to slide perfectly in front of the star from our perspective. Thanks to this positioning, a total solar eclipse reveals the sun’s corona, or wispy outer atmosphere that is usually outshined by the rest of the star. This offers a valuable opportunity for science and a breathtaking view. Just before totality, the final dregs of sunlight peek through lunar valleys, creating bright spots called Baily’s beads or the diamond ring effect. A solar eclipse is a stunning celestial phenomenon. It’s also a human one, drawing out our fascination, even among those who have seen totality several times. This collection of photos highlights the astronomical beauty alongside the wonder of those lucky enough to experience it. The eclipsed sun's corona glows over Llucmajor, Mallorca, in Spain. Jaime Reina / AFP via Getty Images Fans of Real Club Deportivo A Coruña look at the sun through eclipse glasses at Riazor Stadium in A Coruña, Spain. Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey / Getty Images A solar prominence—or a loop of hot plasma—emerges from the left side of the sun in this view from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain. NASA / Bill Ingalls The solar corona appears over Burgos in Castile and León, Spain. Gabriel Luengas / Europa Press via Getty Images Viewers at the rooftop terrace of the Gasteig Cultural Center in Munich see a partial eclipse. Peter Kneffel / picture alliance via Getty Images People in Stockholm use eclipse glasses to view a partial solar eclipse. Fredrik Sandberg / TT NEWS AGENCY / AFP via Getty Images The International Space Station transits across the surface of the sun during a partial solar eclipse as seen from near Hodgdon, Maine. Here, the spacecraft appears at the left. NASA / Joel Kowsky The International Space Station transits across the surface of the sun during a partial solar eclipse as seen from near Hodgdon, Maine. Here, the spacecraft appears at the center. NASA / Joel Kowsky In Berlin, a bird flies beneath the partially eclipsed sun. Florian Gaertner / Photothek via Getty Images Passengers on an Ambassador cruise ship watch the start of the total solar eclipse off the coast of Greenland. Owen Humphreys / PA Images via Getty Images A partially eclipsed sun sits low in the sky behind a crowd of people in silhouette in Herten, western Germany. Ina Fassbender / AFP via Getty Images You Might Also Like Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. More about: Astronomy European Travel Germany Greenland Iceland Moon NASA Outer Space Photography Sky Watching Guide solar eclipse Spain Sun Sweden