NASA captured some of the most stunning views of the August 12 solar eclipse, giving the world a front-row look at the rare event. The agency shared photographs showing the total eclipse over parts of Europe, along with the partial eclipse seen in parts of North America. The images showed just how dramatic the sky looked as the Moon moved across the Sun. (Image: NASA/flickr)
One of the standout images was captured by photographer Andrew McCarthy from a ship in the Mediterranean. The Moon appeared as a dark silhouette against the bright Sun, surrounded by its glowing corona. Adding to the beauty was a rising solar prominence, seen as a reddish jet near the top of the Sun. (Image: X/@AJamesMcCarthy)
This image had an unexpected detail hiding in plain sight. Look closely at the top-left corner and you can spot the International Space Station crossing in front of the Sun during a partial eclipse. The same image also includes a time-lapse showing the eclipse above a sunflower field in San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain. (Image: X/@AJamesMcCarthy)
Another beautiful time-lapse came from Spain, photographed just outside the town of Duraton. The series was captured by Ben Cooper, an official photographer for Cape Canaveral. The images show the Moon gradually moving across the Sun, creating a changing view of the eclipse and turning the passing moments into one striking sequence. (Image: X/@LaunchPhoto)
Dutch photographer Albert Dros gave the eclipse a completely different look. From a boat off the coast of Menorca, he captured the Sun and Moon appearing to rest above a lighthouse. The clever framing brought together the eclipse, the sea and the lighthouse in one unusual photograph that almost looks like a carefully created scene. (Image: X/@albertdrosphoto)
You did not need a professional camera to capture the eclipse. A photograph taken in Galicia, Spain, was shot using a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The phone captured the Sun as the Moon moved across it, showing that even everyday technology can create an impressive image when the timing and conditions come together. (Image: X/@gummerpaladin)
At Glastonbury Tor in the UK, photographer Michelle Cowbourne turned her camera toward the people watching the eclipse. The photograph shows spectators looking up as the Moon partially covered the Sun. Rather than showing only the sky, the image captures the excitement of people stopping to witness the rare event together. (Image: X/@Glastomichelle)
Author Emma Mitchell chose a more unusual way to photograph the eclipse during a partial event in the UK. Her image offered an alternative view of the phenomenon instead of simply focusing on the Sun. It was a reminder that sometimes, changing the angle can make a familiar sight look completely different. (Image: X/@silverpebble)
The total solar eclipse was visible across parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal on August 12, while other parts of the world witnessed a partial eclipse. From professional astronomers to casual sky-watchers, people across different locations reached for their cameras to capture the brief moment when the Moon covered the Sun. (Image: X/@nasahqphoto)
Solar eclipses were once seen as mysterious events and were even treated as warnings from the gods. Today, science allows us to know exactly when and where they will happen. That makes it possible for photographers and sky-watchers to prepare in advance and the latest eclipse produced plenty of unforgettable images. (Image: X/@nasahqphoto)
