NASA to study August 2026 total solar eclipse with high‑altitude jets and balloons

NASA plans to investigate the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026 by flying its WB‑57 high‑altitude research aircraft and deploying scientific balloons along the path of totality that will cross Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, a portion of Portugal and parts of Russia. The missions aim to capture high‑resolution images of the Sun’s corona and examine atmospheric effects while the Moon blocks the Sun.

The eclipse will coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and a rare alignment of six planets—Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—creating a notable astronomical night for observers across the northern hemisphere.