MIT researchers visit University of Oviedo to observe solar eclipse

More than 70 researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visited the University of Oviedo as part of a scientific journey to observe the 2026 total solar eclipse in Spain.

Richard P. Binzel, a prominent space researcher and creator of the Torino Scale, led the delegation. During the visit, the group engaged with university officials and explored the institution's historical building and library. The mission included traveling to the province of León to witness the astronomical phenomenon.

The solar eclipse is a rare cosmic alignment where the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. Despite the Sun being approximately 400 times larger than the Moon, it is also roughly 400 times further away, allowing the Moon to appear to cover the Sun completely and reveal the solar corona.