The European Space Agency (ESA) reports that its Solar Orbiter spacecraft captured new images of the Sun on the day of the August 12 total solar eclipse. The probe, which operates from a position closer to the Sun than Earth, was able to observe the star directly, according to the agency.
While ground-based observers in the path of totality saw the Moon block the Sun's bright face, Solar Orbiter had a different vantage point. ESA notes that the spacecraft's imaging instruments, which are designed to study the Sun's outer atmosphere, took advantage of the timing to collect data on the solar corona. The agency released the images on August 14, 2026, highlighting the mission's ability to monitor solar activity from its unique orbit.
The release coincides with a broader period of intense solar observation. According to separate reporting from Phys.org, an airborne observatory was used to improve views of the solar corona during a cloud-covered eclipse, demonstrating the lengths scientists go to for clear data. The New York Times also covered how researchers use eclipses for scientific study, and RTE.ie detailed an Irish scientist's experience capturing the eclipse from a plane. NASA, as reported by Space, pursued its own eclipse research using balloons and a high-altitude jet.
These coordinated efforts underscore how eclipses—whether seen from Earth or from spacecraft—offer rare opportunities to study the Sun's faint outer layers. Solar Orbiter's images add a space-based perspective to the ground and airborne observations made during the same event.
What to watch next: ESA is expected to release further analysis from Solar Orbiter's eclipse-day data, which could reveal new details about the corona's structure and behavior.
