Astronomy studies explore eclipse history and solar superflare potential

The Spanish Astronomical Society has launched ‘A World of Eclipses’, an interactive digital map that compiles over one hundred cultural testimonies. This educational resource explores how various civilizations, from ancient Egypt and the Hittite Empire to the Canary Island Aborigines, have interpreted eclipses through science and art.

Separately, scientific research is investigating the potential for extreme solar activity. While solar flares are common, astronomers are studying ‘superflares’—events capable of releasing energy equivalent to trillions of hydrogen bombs. Although such massive explosions have not been directly recorded on the Sun during the modern space age, studies from the Max Planck Institute suggest that the Sun’s 4.6-billion-year history may include such events, which could significantly impact Earth’s technological systems, including satellites and power grids.