Diamond in the sky

A vast sky fades from deep blue-black at the top to a warm orange glow near the horizon. Low in the sky, a small bright ring of light glows amber, like a thin crescent with a soft halo around it. Below, a dark, flat landscape stretches to the horizon, dotted with scattered pinpoints of town lights.

Dave Doctor from Las Cruces, New Mexico

The diamond ring at third contact during the Aug. 12, 2026, total solar eclipse hangs over Alcañiz, Spain, as the Moon’s shadow floods the left side of the frame in darkness. Totality there lasted about 1 minute 36 seconds, with the Sun just 5° above the horizon. The photographer shot it with a Canon mirrorless camera and a 14mm lens at f/2.8.