Italian Solar Instrument to Test During 2026 Eclipse

Italian researchers have transported a novel solar instrument to Spain for a decisive test during the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. The team will deploy the Circular Slit Spectrometer, or CISS, at the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory, located directly under the path of totality, to capture the first-ever single-photograph spectrum of the Sun's entire corona.

The experiment represents the culmination of more than two and a half years of development. Principal Investigator Federico Landini of the Astrophysical Observatory of Turin explained that the instrument's unique circular slit allows it to capture the spectrum of the entire corona at a certain distance from the center of the Sun in a single photograph. This design aims to overcome a major limitation of conventional linear spectrometers, which scan the corona strip by strip and can take hours to complete a full observation. The corona, however, changes on timescales of minutes, making rapid data collection critical.

The total solar eclipse provides the ideal natural laboratory for this test. As the Moon passes in front of the Sun, it blocks the overwhelming glare of the solar disc, dramatically increasing the...