A major total solar eclipse will take place on August 12, 2026, with the Moon’s shadow travelling across parts of the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Europe before reaching other regions.
The eclipse will begin at approximately 15:34 GMT, with totality lasting as long as 2 minutes and 18 seconds at the most favourable locations.
The event is particularly significant for Europe because it will be the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 1999. Around 15 million people are expected to live within the path of totality, primarily in Spain.
A much larger area will experience a partial eclipse, with an estimated 980 million people potentially able to see at least part of the Sun covered by the Moon.
According to the source, the eclipse begins at approximately:
15:34 GMT on August 12, 2026
However, the exact viewing time depends on location. The Moon’s shadow will move across different parts of the world at different times.
In western Spain, totality is expected to begin at approximately 18:27 GMT, or around 8:27 pm local time, and can last for up to 110 seconds, depending on the observer’s precise location.
The path of totality will cross parts of:
- Spain
- Iceland
- Greenland
- Russia
- Portugal
Around 15 million people are expected to be within the area where the Sun will be completely covered by the Moon.
Northern and eastern Spain are expected to provide some of the best viewing locations.
Cities mentioned in the eclipse path include:
- León
- Valladolid
- Zaragoza
- Teruel
- Valencia
The eclipse will be especially dramatic in these areas because observers will experience totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun.
Madrid and Barcelona, despite being major Spanish cities, will fall just outside the path of totality. However, observers there are still expected to see more than 99% of the Sun covered.
The partial eclipse will be visible across a much larger area.
Much of Western Europe will experience a deep partial eclipse, although in many locations the Sun will set before the event completely finishes.
Some examples include:
| City | Approximate Sun coverage |
|---|---|
| Paris | 92% |
| London | 91% |
| Berlin | 85% |
| Algiers | 98% |
| Casablanca | 87% |
| St John’s, Canada | 53% |
| Montreal | 18% |
| Toronto | 8% |
| Parts of Alaska | Up to 37% |
| New York | Around 10% |
The exact experience will depend on the observer’s location, horizon and local sunset time.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between Earth and the Sun, blocking some or all of the Sun’s light from reaching parts of Earth.
There are four main types of solar eclipses:
Partial solar eclipse
The Moon covers only part of the Sun’s visible disc.
Total solar eclipse
The Moon completely covers the Sun. During totality, the sky can become noticeably darker and the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, becomes visible.
Annular solar eclipse
The Moon is too far away to completely cover the Sun, leaving a bright ring around the Moon.
Hybrid solar eclipse
This is the rarest type and can appear as total or annular depending on the observer’s position along the eclipse path.
The apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon in Earth’s sky are surprisingly similar.
The Sun is approximately 400 times wider than the Moon, but it is also roughly 400 times farther from Earth.
Because of this unusual geometry, the Moon can sometimes appear large enough to completely cover the Sun, producing a total solar eclipse.
Solar eclipses are not exceptionally rare on a global scale.
According to NASA, Earth experiences approximately two to five solar eclipses every year, including partial, annular, total and hybrid eclipses.
Total solar eclipses are much less common at any particular location. Globally, they occur on average around 66 times per century, or roughly once every year and a half somewhere on Earth.
However, a particular city may wait much longer before experiencing totality.
The August 12 eclipse is particularly notable because it will provide mainland Europe with its first opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse since 1999.
Spain will be one of the main viewing destinations, with several cities located inside the path of totality.
The eclipse is also expected to attract attention from astronomy enthusiasts and visitors because totality provides a dramatically different experience from a partial eclipse.
When the Moon completely covers the Sun:
- Daylight can temporarily become much darker.
- The Sun’s corona becomes visible.
- The temperature can temporarily fall.
- Shadows can appear unusual.
- Bright stars and planets may become easier to see.
- The sky takes on a twilight-like appearance.
The period of complete coverage is relatively short, which makes precise location and timing important for eclipse watchers.
Looking directly at the Sun during the partial phases of an eclipse can seriously damage the eyes.
The safest approach is to use properly certified solar-viewing glasses or other equipment specifically designed for observing the Sun.
Ordinary sunglasses are not sufficient protection.
During totality, the situation is different because the Sun is completely covered, but viewers must stop looking directly at the Sun as soon as even a small portion of the bright solar surface becomes visible agai
