The august 12 solar eclipse path stretches across the Arctic, the North Atlantic, and parts of Europe, marking one of the most anticipated sky events of 2026. On Wednesday, August 12, the Moon will pass directly between the Sun and Earth, producing a total solar eclipse for a narrow band of the Northern Hemisphere while a much broader partial eclipse reaches millions more, including parts of North America.
Where The Path Of Totality Crosses
The path of totality begins in far northern Siberia, near the North Pole, and travels south through the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. From there, the shadow sweeps across eastern Greenland and western Iceland before reaching mainland Europe. Totality ends over the northern half of Spain and the extreme northeastern tip of Portugal, just before sunset in that region.
This total eclipse belongs to Saros series 126 and carries a magnitude of 1.0386. Greatest eclipse occurs at 17:47 UTC, near coordinates 65.2°N, 25.2°W, where totality lasts up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds. That moment falls about 2.2 days after lunar perigee, so the Moon will appear slightly larger than average, helping extend the duration of totality along the path.
Only observers standing directly within this narrow corridor, no more than 294 kilometers wide at its peak, will experience full darkness and be able to safely remove their eclipse glasses during totality itself.
Timing Across The Path
Because the Moon’s shadow moves from west to east across the globe, the experience differs sharply by region. In the remote stretch of northern Russia, totality happens around midday local time. Greenland and Iceland will see the Sun go dark in the late afternoon or early evening. Spain and the tip of Portugal will witness their brief totality shortly before sunset, making it one of the more dramatic low-angle eclipse views in recent memory.
The overall partial phase, visible far beyond the path of totality, begins around 15:37 UTC and concludes near 19:52 UTC.
Partial Eclipse Visibility In North America
North America will not see totality, but a partial eclipse will still be visible across a meaningful stretch of the continent. Roughly 20 U.S. states fall within the shadow’s reach, though only northeastern locations get a clearly noticeable view. The event runs from around 11:34 a.m. to 3:57 p.m. EDT, with greatest eclipse near 1:46 p.m. EDT for eastern viewers.
Alaska offers the best continental U.S. vantage point, with the Sun’s altitude working in observers’ favor there. Coverage estimates include roughly 37% obscuration in Fairbanks, 28% in Anchorage, and smaller percentages moving south and east, including around 24% in Bangor, 16% to 20% across New England and New York, and closer to 9% in areas such as New York City.
For much of the rest of the continental United States, including California, Texas, Florida, the Midwest, and the southern Mountain West, the eclipse simply will not be visible. That is not unusual; every eclipse has a defined shadow zone, and this one favors Alaska, Canada, and the northeastern U.S. over the rest of the country.
Visibility Across Europe, The UK, And Beyond
Beyond the path of totality, a wide partial eclipse reaches most of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia during the evening hours local time. The United Kingdom and Ireland will experience a deep partial eclipse as the event arrives there in the evening sky. Viewers across mainland Europe should expect meaningful coverage of the Sun, even outside Spain’s totality zone.
Regions such as India will not see any phase of this eclipse directly and will need to rely on livestream coverage from official sources to follow the event in real time.
Eye Safety During The Eclipse
Certified eclipse glasses or viewers are required at all times during partial phases of the eclipse, no matter where the eclipse is being observed. Regular sunglasses do not offer adequate protection. The only exception is for viewers standing inside the path of totality, who may briefly remove eye protection during the short window of full totality, then must immediately put protection back on as the Sun begins to reemerge.
For anyone watching a partial eclipse, including nearly all North American and broader European viewers, eclipse glasses should remain on for the entire event.
A Bonus For Skywatchers: The Perseids
August 12 also lines up with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, which remains visible after dark across the entire Northern Hemisphere without any special equipment. Skywatchers who miss the daytime eclipse, or who simply want to extend the celestial show, can look up after midnight for a chance at seeing meteors streak across a dark sky.
How To Watch If You Are Outside The Path
For those outside both the totality path and the partial eclipse zone, NASA and the European Space Agency are expected to provide livestream coverage of the event, allowing a global audience to watch totality unfold over Iceland and Spain in real time.
Have a viewing spot picked out for the August 12 eclipse? Share where you’ll be watching from and check back for the latest updates as the big day approaches.