Overview
- The solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 produced a zone of totality over parts of the Iberian Peninsula and a wide partial eclipse across much of Europe, drawing public viewings and local events.
- Spacecraft produced striking data and footage: ESA’s Proba‑3 recorded a prolonged double occultation lasting about nine minutes that aided coronagraph-style calibration and NASA’s DSCOVR imaged the Moon’s shadow from L1.
- A ground team tested INAF’s experimental CISS spectrometer at the Javalambre observatory and confirmed the instrument worked and delivered valuable corona data that were preserved.
- On the team’s return the van was broken into in Perpignan and thieves stole roughly €50,000 of specialized optical and support equipment; INAF published a detailed list with serial numbers but said the central CISS unit and the eclipse data were not taken.
- Scientists and agencies continue to release images and analyses while planners warn that the theft could disrupt short-term follow-up work and underscore the need for stronger field logistics ahead of the 2027 and 2028 Spanish eclipses.