How the European Space Agency is connecting millions of people with the trio of European eclipses

The trio of European eclipses (August 2026, August 2027, January 2028) provides a unique opportunity to engage millions of people with space science, especially as they all pass through Spain, which is also the home of ESA's Astronomy Centre (ESAC).

ESA is part of the Spanish Scientific and Advisory Committee for the Trio of Eclipses, contributing to the official Spanish eclipse website 'Trio of Eclipses', an initiative led by the Spanish government. Together with partners, ESA has developed the scientific outreach section of the site, providing clear and accurate content to support public understanding of the eclipses.

For the 12 August 2026 total solar eclipse, ESA's dedicated campaign focused on:

• A live broadcast from Javalambre Observatory
• An event for the general public in León city, Spain
• A dedicated web portal for outreach and education (relevant for all three eclipses)
• An educational campaign (relevant for all three eclipses)
• Eclipse-themed merchandise and visuals (relevant for all three eclipses)

In this talk, we will present an overview of the initiatives listed above, including the lessons learned that we will apply to the coming two European solar eclipses.