⚠️ Eye safety first: Never look at a partially eclipsed Sun without certified eclipse glasses or a solar viewer. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe. Permanent retinal damage can occur in seconds. Only during the brief moments of totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s face, is it safe to look directly.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. It is the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 1999, and for Iceland it is the only one this century.
This guide covers exactly when it happens, who will see what, where to watch, and how to do it without hurting your eyes.
Quick Facts
| Date | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 |
| Path of totality | Arctic Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, northeastern Portugal, Balearic Islands |
| Maximum totality | 2 minutes 18 seconds (ocean west of Latrabjarg, Iceland) |
| Partial phase begins | 15:34 GMT |
| Totality begins | 16:58 GMT |
| Partial phase ends | 19:57 GMT |
| Partial eclipse visible from | Most of Europe, UK and Ireland, most of Canada, northern US, northwestern Africa |
Where the Total Eclipse Will Be Visible
Unlike most eclipses, which race west to east, this one arcs up and over the North Pole.
Arctic Russia. The eclipse begins at technical “sunrise” on the uninhabited Taymyr Peninsula, at the unusual local time of 11:59 pm, since the Sun barely sets there in summer.
Greenland. The shadow drops onto eastern Greenland in the late afternoon. Remote, but home to some of the longest totality on land.
Iceland. The shadow makes landfall at Straumnes Lighthouse in the Westfjords at 17:43:28 UT, crosses the Snaefellsnes peninsula, Reykjavik, and the Reykjanes peninsula, and leaves the mainland at Reykjanesta at 17:50:07 UT. Totality at Latrabjarg lasts 2 minutes 13 seconds. This is Iceland’s first total eclipse since 1954, and the next is not until 2196.
Spain and Portugal. The shadow reaches Spain at 18:25:44 UT, about 35 minutes after leaving Iceland. Northern Spain, the Balearic Islands, and the extreme northeast of Portugal fall inside the path. Spain’s last total eclipse was in 1905.
The Spain “Sunset Eclipse”
Spain gets something unusual. Totality there happens during golden hour, shortly before sunset, so the Sun will sit very low on the horizon.
Visually, this is spectacular, an eclipsed Sun hanging just above the landscape. Practically it means two things:
- You need a clear, unobstructed western horizon. Hills, buildings, or trees can block the view entirely.
- The low Sun looks deceptively dim, and that is dangerous. During partial phases, it is still bright enough to damage your eyes. Keep your eclipse glasses on until totality actually begins.
If You Are Outside the Path
Most of Europe will see a partial eclipse, and in many places a deep one. Parts of the UK and Ireland will see over 90% of the Sun covered. Much of Canada, the northern US from Alaska to North Carolina, and northwestern Africa will also see partial phases.
One important point: a 90% partial eclipse and totality are completely different experiences. At 90%, daylight dims slightly, but the Sun remains dangerously bright. Totality, when the corona appears and the sky darkens, only happens inside the narrow path.
If you are seeing only a partial eclipse, your glasses stay on the entire time. There is no safe moment to remove them.
How to Watch Safely
- Use certified eclipse glasses or solar viewers. Look for ISO 12312-2 compliance, and buy from a reputable supplier, since counterfeit glasses are a known problem.
- Check them before use. Discard any that are scratched, torn, or damaged.
- Sunglasses are not eclipse glasses. Not even stacked. Not welding glass below shade 12. Not exposed film or smoked glass.
- Never look through a camera, telescope, or binoculars while wearing eclipse glasses. The concentrated light will burn through the filter and your eye. Optics need their own certified solar filters fitted at the front.
- Supervise children closely.
- Only during totality can you look without protection, and only if you are inside the path. The moment the Sun’s edge reappears, glasses go back on.
A safe alternative: pinhole projection. Punch a small hole in a card and project the Sun’s image onto a surface. A colander or the gaps in leafy trees will do the same thing, casting dozens of crescent Suns on the ground.
How Solar Eclipses Work
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun in our solar system as it orbits Earth, blocking sunlight from reaching part of Earth’s surface.
Whether an eclipse is total or partial depends on the Moon’s apparent size, which changes because its orbit is not a perfect circle. When the Moon is nearer Earth, it appears large enough to cover the Sun’s disc completely, producing a total eclipse. When it is further away, it cannot quite cover the Sun, producing an annular eclipse with a ring of light around the edge.
The August 2026 eclipse occurs about 2.2 days after perigee, the Moon’s closest approach, which is why totality is comfortably achieved.
Solar eclipses happen two to five times a year somewhere on Earth, in eclipse seasons roughly six months apart. Total eclipses at any given location are far rarer, which is why people travel across the world for them.
Some ancient cultures interpreted eclipses as supernatural events, and some traditions still associate them with omens. The astronomical explanation has been understood for centuries.
Coming Up Next: August 2, 2027
If you miss this one, or want a longer one, August 2, 2027 brings a total eclipse across southern Spain, North Africa, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Totality there lasts considerably longer, over six minutes near Luxor, making it one of the longest total eclipses of the century and a major draw for eclipse travellers.
Looking Back: The April 2024 Eclipse
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse crossed Mexico, the United States, and Canada, ending southwest of Ireland.
The path of totality entered at the Mexican coast near Mazatlan, crossed Sinaloa, Durango, and Coahuila, then swept northeast through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, before crossing into southern Ontario and eastern Canada. Mexico City saw 79% coverage, and Torreon was the largest Mexican city inside the path.
It drew enormous crowds, with prime viewing spots including Kerrville and Hillsboro in Texas, Cape Girardeau in Missouri, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Erie, Niagara Falls, and Mars Hill in Maine.
For North America, the next comparable coast-to-coast total eclipse is not until 2045, though a total eclipse crosses parts of the US and Canada on August 23, 2044.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the solar eclipse in 2026?
Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The partial phase begins at 15:34 GMT, totality begins at 16:58 GMT, and the eclipse ends at 19:57 GMT. Exact local times depend on your location.
Where can you see the 2026 total solar eclipse?
Totality passes over Arctic Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, the Balearic Islands, and the northeastern tip of Portugal. A partial eclipse is visible across much of Europe, Canada, the northern US, and northwestern Africa.
How long will totality last?
Up to 2 minutes 18 seconds at maximum, in the ocean west of Iceland. Most locations on land will see under two minutes.
Will the UK see the 2026 eclipse?
The UK is outside the path of totality but will see a deep partial eclipse, with over 90% of the Sun covered in some areas. Certified eclipse glasses are required throughout, as there is no safe moment to look without them outside the path.
Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse?
Only during totality, and only if you are inside the path of totality. During all partial phases, certified eclipse glasses or solar viewers are essential. Sunglasses do not provide adequate protection.
When is the next total solar eclipse after 2026?
August 2, 2027, crossing southern Spain, North Africa, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, with totality lasting over six minutes in places.
Sources
- NASA Science, Total Solar Eclipse on August 12, 2026
- National Solar Observatory, August 12, 2026 Eclipse Map
- NationalEclipse.com, 2026 Total Solar Eclipse Overview
- Star Walk, Total Solar Eclipse of August 12, 2026
- Eclipse2026.is, Iceland Eclipse Timing Detail
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