While the total eclipse will turn parts of Spain into a scientific laboratory for a few minutes, with NASA planes and dozens of experiments, Croatia will see a partial eclipse. Experts warn: taking photos with a phone without protection can permanently damage it.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the sky over Europe will put on a true spectacle. While a narrow band of total solar eclipse will cover parts of Spain, turning the country into a vast scientific laboratory, Croatia will be able to observe its partial form. The Moon will obscure a significant portion of the Sun's disk, with the best viewing conditions expected in the west of the country.
The eclipse will begin just before 7:30 PM, reaching its maximum between 8:05 and 8:10 PM, just before sunset. Depending on the location, the Moon will cover between 70 and 85 percent of the Sun's disk at that moment. The best viewing conditions will be in the western regions, especially in Istria and Kvarner, but those in northwestern Croatia with an unobstructed view of the western horizon could also enjoy the sight.
Although many will want to capture this rare moment, the Austrian Forum for Mobile Communications (FMK) warns of a serious risk. Taking a photo of the eclipse with a phone without proper protection can lead to permanent damage to the camera sensor. A smartphone's optics act like a magnifying glass, concentrating light onto a tiny sensor surface.
As reported by Euronews, pointing the lens at the Sun for a few minutes without protection can overheat the camera module and permanently burn the photodiodes that make up the sensor. The result would be spots or "dead" pixels that cannot be repaired. The phone's thermal protection may also activate, causing it to shut down automatically. For safe and successful photos, it is essential to use a solar filter attached to the front of the lens. Experts recommend using the Pro camera mode, a low ISO setting, and a short exposure time for better results.
Unlike Croatia, where the eclipse will be partial, in Spain the total phase will last just over a minute. That minute of darkness will be enough to launch a series of ambitious scientific experiments. NASA, for example, will fly its WB-57 research aircraft at an altitude of 15,000 meters to follow the Moon's shadow, extending observation time and studying the Sun's corona with specialized cameras.
The agency will also launch six scientific balloons to measure atmospheric parameters, including the response of the lower atmosphere to the sudden disappearance of solar radiation. The Globos Project, led by the Federation of Astronomical Associations of Spain, has a similar goal, aiming to capture images of the eclipse from the upper atmosphere and record the projection of the Moon's shadow on the Iberian Peninsula.
One of the most historically interesting experiments is the Modern Eddington Experiment, which repeats the famous measurement of starlight deflection from 1919. That experiment confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity. In Spain, it is coordinated by the Astronomical Association of Barcelona, and although precise data are not expected due to the Sun's low elevation, it will serve as excellent preparation for the "Eclipse of the Century" on August 2, 2027.
The eclipse will not be just an astronomical event. The ECOECLIPSE project will study the acoustic activity of birds and bats before, during, and after the eclipses of 2026, 2027, and 2028, investigating how sudden darkness confuses animals. The SOLARIS project, launched by the Government of Catalonia, will focus on humans, using smartwatches to track physiological reactions such as heart rate and breathing, two days before and two days after the eclipse.
Special attention is given to inclusivity. The Eclipse Inclusivo project, developed by ICE-CSIC, will allow people with visual impairments to "hear" the eclipse through LightSound devices that convert changes in light intensity into sound. More than 50 observation activities across Spain will be equipped with these devices.
The international dimension is provided by the NATE (North African Telescope Eclipse) project, led by the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, connecting Spain, Morocco, and the USA. It will begin in Palencia and continue in Morocco in 2027. The European Space Agency (ESA) will be present in León and Javalambre in Teruel, from where an international broadcast will be streamed, while the Yebes Observatory in Guadalajara has been chosen as the official center for monitoring the eclipse in Spain.
