A total solar eclipse will begin crossing the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain at 15:34 GMT on August 12, 2026. The moon’s shadow will darken parts of the route for as long as two minutes and 18 seconds, while a partial eclipse will be visible across much of Western Europe, parts of northwestern Africa and a small portion of the United States.
About 15 million people, mostly in Spain, live within the path of totality. Overall, roughly 980 million people—nearly one in eight worldwide—will see the sun at least partly covered.
Where totality will be visible
The path of totality will include parts of Spain, Iceland, Greenland, Russia and Portugal. In northern and eastern Spain, León, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia are inside the path.
Totality will begin at roughly 18:27 GMT in western Spain, or 8:27pm local time, and will last for up to 110 seconds depending on the location. Madrid and Barcelona sit just outside the band but will still see more than 99 percent of the sun covered.
How much of the eclipse other places will see
Most of Europe will experience a deep partial eclipse in the evening, with the sun setting while it is still partly covered in many locations. Coverage will reach about 92 percent in Paris, 91 percent in London and 85 percent in Berlin.
North Africa will also see a partial eclipse, including about 98 percent coverage in Algiers and 87 percent in Casablanca, although the sun will set before the eclipse ends in both cities. Across North America, coverage will be more limited: about 53 percent in St John’s, 18 percent in Montreal, 8 percent in Toronto and about 37 percent in parts of Alaska.
What the eclipse means and what comes next
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun and blocks some or all of its light. A partial eclipse covers part of the sun, while a total eclipse covers it completely, turning day to dusk and revealing the corona. Annular eclipses leave a bright ring, and hybrid eclipses shift between total and annular along their path.
NASA says two to five solar eclipses occur on Earth each year across all four types. The next total solar eclipse is scheduled for August 2, 2027, crossing southern Spain, North Africa and Yemen.
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