Solar Eclipses Visible from Spain: A Look Back and Ahead to 2027
Listen to the story
Spain has seen a special solar eclipse. This is when the Moon moves in front of the Sun. The Moon's shadow covers part of the Sun.
People saw this eclipse from the ground and from the sky. Special balloons called probes went very high up. They flew into the stratosphere. This is a layer of air far above the clouds.
The probes took pictures. They saw the Moon's shadow on Spain from very high up. This was a great new way to see the eclipse.
Two astrophysicists talked about the eclipse. They are scientists who study stars and planets. They explained what science can learn from an eclipse.
There is more good news. In 2027, there will be a very big eclipse. People call it the eclipse of the century. People in Spain will be able to see it too. They will not need to travel to another country.
Vocabulary15 words
- solar eclipse
- when the Moon covers the Sun for a short time
- shadow
- a dark shape made when something blocks light
- probe
- a machine that goes very high or far to take pictures or information
- stratosphere
- a very high layer of air above the Earth
- astrophysicist
- a scientist who studies stars, planets, and space
- eclipse of the century
- a very special, rare eclipse that people talk about for many years
- historic
- very important; something people will remember
- peninsula
- land with water almost all around it, like Spain
- moon
- the big round object that goes around the Earth at night
- sun
- the big star that gives us light and heat
- sky
- the space above the Earth where we see clouds and stars
- ground
- the land where we stand
- science
- the study of how things in the world work
- special
- not normal; different and interesting
- cover
- to put something over another thing
Quiz
Answer key
1. When the Moon covers the Sun 2. From the stratosphere 3. In 2027
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Spain has seen a special _____. This is when the Moon moves in front of the Sun.
The Moon's _____ covers part of the Sun.
Special balloons called _____ went very high up.
They flew into the _____. This is a layer of air far above the clouds.
Two _____ talked about the eclipse.
In 2027, there will be a very big eclipse. People call it the _____.
People in Spain will be able to see it too.