The total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 will reveal something nobody has ever seen before

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and the Balearic Islands. For just a couple of minutes, the moon will fully block the sun's bright surface. When that happens, the sun's outer atmosphere — called the corona — will come into view. Scientists say this view will be completely unique and will never look exactly the same way again.

The corona is normally hidden from us. The sun's surface is so blindingly bright that it washes out the corona's glow, even though the corona stretches millions of miles into space. During totality, when the moon covers the sun's surface completely, the corona suddenly appears. White streams of gas fan outward, and glowing pink loops can appear around the edge of the moon.

The corona looks different every single time there is a total solar eclipse. That's because it is shaped by the sun's constantly changing magnetic field. Solar physicist Ryan French says the sun follows an 11-year cycle of activity, moving between busy periods full of sunspots and quiet periods with very few. Where the sun is in that cycle determines what the corona will look like.

The 2026 eclipse comes about two years after Solar Cycle 25 reached its peak in October 2024. The sun has been calming down since then, but it is still more active than it was before the peak. Scientists expect the corona to show strong, bright streamers — but not as dramatic or spiky as it looked during the April 2024 eclipse, which happened right near the height of solar activity.

Eclipse watchers should also look for prominences — glowing pink or red arcs of gas hovering above the sun's surface. These structures are held in place by magnetic fields and can last for days or weeks, making them easier to predict than sudden eruptions. Because the moon in 2026 will be only slightly larger than the sun, prominences on multiple sides may be visible at the same time, which is a rare treat for observers.