Solar eclipse of August 12, 2026

A total solar eclipse will occur at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with a magnitude of 1.0386. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, and totally or partly obscures the view of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Because the eclipse will occur around 2.2 days after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.

Overview§

A total solar eclipse will occur at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with a magnitude of 1.0386. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, and totally or partly obscures the view of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Because the eclipse will occur around 2.2 days after perigee (on August 10, 2026, at 12:15 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger. The total eclipse will pass over northernmost Siberia, the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, northern Spain and the extreme northeastern part of Portugal. The points of greatest duration and greatest eclipse will be just 45 km (28 mi) off the western coast of Iceland by 65°10.3' N and 25°12.3' W, where the totality will last 2m 18.21s. The first part of the total eclipse path will, unusually, pass from east to west from Russia to Greenland, just avoiding the North Pole. A partial eclipse will cover more than 90% of the Sun in Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal, France, Italy, the Balkans and North Africa and to a lesser extent in most of Europe, West Africa and northern North America. The total eclipse will pass over northern Spain from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean coast along with the Balearic Islands. The total eclipse will be visible from the cities of A Coruña, Valencia, Zaragoza, Palma and Bilbao, but both Madrid and Barcelona will be just outside the path of totality. The last total eclipse in continental Europe occurred on March 29, 2006 and in the continental part of European Union it occurred on August 11, 1999. It will be the first total solar eclipse visible in Iceland since June 30, 1954, also Solar Saros series 126 (descending node), and the only one to occur in the 21st century: the next one visible over Iceland will be in 2196. The last total solar eclipse in Spain happened on August 30, 1905 and followed a similar path across the country. The next total eclipse visible in Spain will happen less than a year later on August 2, 2027.

Observations§

Animated path The eclipse path proceeds from North Siberia throughout the Arctic Region, Iceland, eastern Atlantic to Spain and the Mediterranean.

Solar eclipse and the aurora borealis§

In the North Russia area where totality will start at sunrise, the aurora borealis could also be visible up to the beginning of the nautical twilight, depending on the intensity of the auroral activity at that date. If an extremely high intensity geomagnetic storm takes place simultaneously, there might be chances of seeing the aurora simultaneously with the eclipsed Sun. In the east of Taymyr Peninsula (north-east of Krasnoyarsk Krai) the maximum of total phase will occur on August 13 at 0:00 local time during midnight sun.

Solar eclipse below the horizon§

Due to the considerable eclipse gamma (more than 0.8), observers where the totally eclipsed Sun is just below the horizon will have the chance to observe the lunar shadow in the high atmosphere along with shortened civil twilight and extended nautical twilight. The darkening of the twilight sky could improve the chances of observing the inner Zodiacal light.

Bright planets and stars visible during totality§

Far northern Russia will be treated to a dawn eclipse. Mercury and Jupiter will be very low above the rising eclipsed Sun, but Mercury will be showing most of its sunlit side and Jupiter will have its usual brightness. Mars and Saturn will be more advantageously placed in the northeast and southeast respectively. Of the bright asterisms, the Big Dipper will be very high in the north-northwest and the Summer Triangle will be high in the southwest. Aldebaran, Arcturus, Capella and Pollux are other first-magnitude stars which may be seen, although they will be low. In Iceland the eclipse will be a mid-afternoon event occurring around 4 hours before sunset, it will start in Reykjavik at around 4:47 PM, with the total eclipse occurring at 5:48 PM. Mars may be a challenge to find, because it will be low in the west. Mercury and Jupiter will be well positioned west of the Sun and Venus will be many degrees to its east. Of 1st-magnitude stars from west to east, Capella and Pollux will be at decent elevations west of the Sun; Regulus, Spica (due south), Arcturus, Vega and Deneb are candidates for easy sighting to the Sun's east. Procyon will be around to set, while Altair will be low on the opposite side. In Spain the eclipse will occur around 1 hour before sunset. Mercury and Jupiter, west of the eclipsed Sun, will as a result be very low below it. Venus will be brilliant well up in the southwest, with Spica to its east. Arcturus will be high in the south, and the Summer Triangle will be well up in the east. Lower in the south, Antares will be minutes away from transit.

Tourism§

The longest the eclipse will last on land will be Látrabjarg in Iceland. It is as a result expected that many people will make their way there that day. Plans are being made to ensure safety in the area, but many of the roads to Látrabjarg are very narrow and dangerous. There has since been talk of closing the area to car traffic and ferrying people by bus. Work has started on repairing parts of the road to Látrabjarg, partly as routine maintenance but also because of the eclipse.

Research§

NASA plans to fly one of its WB-57s to chase the eclipse's shadow over the North Atlantic Ocean, allowing more time to conduct coronal research. The aircraft will fly at 50,000 feet to avoid cloud cover and reduce atmospheric effects, and its speed of 460 miles per hour (400 kn) will extend its view of totality from 2 minutes and 18 seconds to nearly 3 minutes. Onboard the aircraft will be four cameras to capture the corona in several wavelengths of visible and infrared light. Data captured aims to help researchers better understand the corona's temperature and the causes of solar wind.

Eclipse details§

Shown below are two tables displaying details around this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the Moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes several other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.

Eclipse season§

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, around every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts around 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; accordingly two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. Each eclipse is separated by a fortnight in the sequence below.

Eclipses in 2026§

An annular solar eclipse on February 17. A total lunar eclipse on March 3. A total solar eclipse on August 12. A partial lunar eclipse on August 28.

Metonic§

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 25, 2022 Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 1, 2030

Tzolkinex§

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 2, 2019 Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 23, 2033

Half-Saros§

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of 7 August 2017 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of 19 August 2035

Tritos§

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 13, 2015 Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 13, 2037