A solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026, with the path of totality stretching from eastern Greenland through western Iceland to northeastern Spain. A partial solar eclipse will be visible in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In Scoresby Sund, Greenland, totality will begin at 4:35 p.m. WGST and last for up to 2 minutes and 17 seconds. In Reykjavík, Iceland, the total eclipse will begin at 5:48 p.m. local time, where totality will last for 60 seconds. In S'Arenal, Mallorca, Spain, totality will begin at 8:31 p.m. CEST and last for 1 minute and 36 seconds.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the United States, including Alaska and areas extending to North Carolina. A partial solar eclipse will be visible in northern and eastern Canada. In Washington, D.C. the partial eclipse is expected to begin around 1:17 p.m. ET, with coverage of 4%.

In Iqaluit, Nunavut, the maximum eclipse will occur at 1:24 p.m. EDT with 61% coverage. In St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, the maximum eclipse will occur at 3:00 p.m. NDT with 53% coverage. In Anchorage, Alaska, the maximum eclipse will occur at 8:21 a.m. AKDT with 28% coverage. In Bangor, Maine, the maximum eclipse will occur at 1:53 p.m. EDT with 23% coverage.

In Galway and Dublin, the maximum eclipse will occur at 7:10 p.m. local time, and the eclipse will end at 8:05 p.m. local time. In Dublin, Ireland, the maximum eclipse coverage will be 94%. In the southwestern tip of Ireland, viewers may see up to 97.5% coverage.

In Truro, Cornwall, the eclipse will begin at 6:18 p.m. local time, reach its maximum at 7:16 p.m. local time, and end at 8:10 p.m. local time. In Cornwall, England, the eclipse coverage will be around 95%. In Plymouth, U.K. the eclipse coverage will be 95%. In London, U.K. the eclipse will begin at 6:17 p.m. local time, reach its maximum at 7:12 p.m. local time, and end at 8:06 p.m. local time. In Cardiff, Wales, the eclipse coverage will be approximately 93%. In Belfast, Northern Ireland, the eclipse coverage will be approximately 93%. In Edinburgh, Scotland, the eclipse coverage will be approximately 91%. In Manchester, U.K. the eclipse coverage will be 91.9%. In Newcastle, U.K., the eclipse coverage will be reported as high but specific figures are not verified beyond those listed.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, fully blocking the Sun's face. During a partial solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but the celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned, causing the sun to appear as a crescent shape because only parts of it are obscured. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon, from the perspective of Earth, passes in front of the face of the sun, blocking out some or all of its light.

A solar eclipse can only occur during a new moon phase if the path of the new moon crosses in front of the sun’s path. The moon goes through a 29.5-day cycle during which a new moon appears. The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun and 400 times closer to Earth than the sun.

Special equipment such as eclipse glasses or handheld viewers with special filters is necessary to protect eyes during a solar eclipse. Regular sunglasses are not effective for eye protection during a solar eclipse. Looking at the sun without proper protection can cause eye damage, including burns and permanent vision loss.

Eclipse glasses must meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2 to be considered safe. Eclipse glasses that are less than 10 years old, not punctured, and not loose from the frame are safe for use if they meet ISO 12312-2 standards. Indirect viewing methods, such as projecting the sun's image through a colander or pinhole onto white paper, are safe alternatives to direct viewing. The UK Health Security Agency advises that there are two safe approaches to viewing the eclipse: specialist eclipse viewers or indirect viewing methods. At least 70 people reported visual loss after viewing the August 11, 1999 solar eclipse without appropriate protection. The visual loss reported after the 1999 eclipse was temporary, with no issues remaining after six months. The reduced brightness of an eclipse can override the body's natural reflex to look away, allowing intense sunlight to damage the retina.

NASA will use scientific balloons and a high-altitude jet to study how the darkened sky impacts the Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse. Kelly Korreck, eclipse program manager for NASA, said scientists can study the Sun's corona from Earth during a total solar eclipse in a way not possible from elsewhere in the solar system. Dame Dr. Maggie Aderin will participate in a live European Space Agency broadcast from Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre. The European Space Agency will host a live broadcast from Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de León.

This is the best solar eclipse visible from the U.K. and Ireland so far this century. The next total solar eclipse visible from the U.K. and Ireland will occur in September 2090. The next partial solar eclipse visible across parts of the U.S. will occur on August 2, 2027, with totality visible from Spain, the Middle East, and parts of North Africa.

A total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of the contiguous U.S. on August 23, 2044. The Perseid meteor shower peak occurs during a new moon, creating ideal conditions for observation after the eclipse. Animals may perceive the darkness of an eclipse as night, causing them to become quiet, and may interpret the return of light as dawn, triggering a chorus.

Why It Matters

This event marks the first solar eclipse visible from Spain's mainland since 1905 and the best visible from the U.K. and Ireland so far this century. Residents in these regions face a long wait for similar opportunities, as the next total solar eclipse visible from the U.K. and Ireland will not occur until September 2090. The rarity of such high-coverage visibility defines the significance of this astronomical alignment for observers across Western Europe.