9 of the best photos from Europe's 2026 solar eclipse, including that viral shot of an Olympic skateboarder's rad ollie

Europe's 2026 solar eclipse has been and gone, leaving in its wake a flurry of once-in-a-generation images. I've picked out some of my favorites, which you can peruse below, but there's one shot that really outshone the rest for me.

Captured by a small camera crew in rural Spain, the photograph is of Olympic skateboarder Danny León jumping mid-air on a half-pipe as the moon eclipses the sun behind him. Since posting it on Instagram (see below), the image of the synchronized eclipse stunt has gone viral.

León hasn't yet disclosed the equipment used to photograph the epic shot, but has said that he'll share the backstory soon. All of the best images I've seen so far of the August 12th solar eclipse have been taken on mirrorless cameras, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same.

What I was surprised to hear was that the majority of TechRadar readers photographed yesterday's eclipse with just their smartphone's camera. Based on a poll of 825 people, close to 50% of respondents said they were planning to capture it with their phone.

Meanwhile, 30% said they wouldn't bother photographing it at all and instead planned to watch it with solar eclipse glasses, or, if you were like me, through a shadow made by a pinhole in a sheet of paper (my version of a DIY box projector or colander).

Of course I couldn't help but sneak a photo of it on my iPhone, which isn't advised because of the potential damage it can do to the sensor, but as long as you're only quickly snapping a pic, then you likely won't create dead pixels — it's more if you were to point it at the sun for a prolonged period of time.

If you didn't manage to capture the 2026 solar eclipse, enjoy this selection of some of my favorite shots of the major celestial event, and make sure to let me know which one is your favorite by voting in the poll below.

Amelia became the Senior Editor for Home Entertainment at TechRadar in the UK in April 2023. With a background of more than eight years in tech and finance publishing, she's now leading our coverage to bring you a fresh perspective on everything to do with TV and audio. When she's not tinkering with the latest gadgets and gizmos in the ever-evolving world of home entertainment, you’ll find her watching movies, taking pictures and travelling.