Some of humanity’s most advanced technology is inspired by nature. This animation demonstrates how coronagraph instruments on telescopes imitate a natural eclipse. When the bright glare of a star, including our sun, is blocked, other fainter light sources become visible. During a solar eclipse, stars can be seen during the brief, false night. When telescopes observe distant star systems with a coronagraph, the planets orbiting that star become detectable. Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI).