As the sky gets darker, people in Spain look up at the sun. Some people are watching the eclipse for fun, but scientists are using it to learn more about the sun, Earth, and animals.

On August 12, 2026, a solar eclipse passed over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. NASA scientists used special cameras on jets to study the sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona. They compared what they expected to see with what they actually saw. This process helps them better predict space weather, which can affect satellites and astronauts.

Scientists in Iceland also released 80 weather balloons before, during, and after the eclipse. The balloons helped them study how the sudden darkness changed Earth’s atmosphere. In Spain, researchers used cameras and sensors to study how the eclipse affected ozone production.

Research also shows that regular people can help scientists by carefully observing and recording what happens during an eclipse. Citizen scientists recorded videos of shadow bands, which are moving shadows that appear around an eclipse. Others studied how animals reacted when the sky became dark. They discovered that some animals may try to find safe places, while others might become confused or agitated.

Over the next 18 months, more than 200 people in Spain will take part in the TriEclipse Project. As part of this research study, the groupThey will observe animals during two more eclipses to learn more about behavior change.

The eclipse also gave scientists a chance to study things that people might not normally connect to the sun, such as daytime light pollution and animal behavior. Scientists hope that the information they collect will help them understand how changes in light can affect both Earth’s atmosphere and living things.

Overall, this event is interesting for students and people who enjoy science because it shows how a natural event can help us understand our planet, and how an eclipse is not only something beautiful to watch, but something that gives scientists a chance to discover new things.