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On Aug. 12, 2026, Europe will expertise its first whole photo voltaic eclipse in 27 years.
On the level of biggest eclipse, totality will final 2 minutes, 18 seconds — a comparatively quick time in contrast with the full photo voltaic eclipses in 2024 and 2027. For this photo voltaic eclipse, totality will probably be seen from distant components of Russia, japanese Greenland, western Iceland and the Iberian Peninsula. This is the place to witness the August 2026 whole photo voltaic eclipse from Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean Sea.
Do not forget that it is unsafe to look straight on the solar through the partial phases of an eclipse. Always besides when the solar is totally blocked by the moon, you will need to put on photo voltaic eclipse glasses. Learn our information on learn how to observe the solar safely.
Whole path of totality
This whole photo voltaic eclipse may have an extended and broad path, rising in distant Siberia and setting simply east of the Balearic Islands within the Mediterranean Sea. That journey is 5,133 miles (8,260 kilometers), throughout which the moon’s central umbral shadow will probably be 182 miles (293 km) broad and take 96 minutes to flash throughout the planet.
Solely a small portion of that path crosses land, with 15.2 million individuals — the overwhelming majority in northern Spain — destined to witness totality that day, in line with Time and Date.
Associated: 16 greatest locations to see the 2026 whole photo voltaic eclipse
Path of totality in Russia
The rise of this eclipse from a really distant a part of the northern Siberian coast will probably be lonely. A very eclipsed solar will probably be seen simply above the northern horizon at 3:37 a.m. ANAT, as seen from Siberia’s Taymyr Peninsula. Right here, beside the Laptev Sea, the solar by no means units throughout August, making the utmost 85 seconds of totality the darkest of the whole 24 hours. Few, if any, people will witness it. As the trail of totality heads throughout the Vilkitsky Strait into the Arctic Ocean, it would go Severnaya Zemlya, an archipelago of often ice-packed Arctic islands.
Associated: Eclipse 2026: The following whole photo voltaic eclipse will probably be Europe’s 1st in 27 years
Path of totality in Greenland
After rising in an uninhabited place, the trail of totality will cross one of many least-populated nations on Earth. Simply 56,000 individuals stay in Greenland, and few, if any, stay beneath the trail of this eclipse, which curves by way of the east of this huge island, passing solely the distant settlements of Mestersvig and Nyhavn in East Greenland.
Simply earlier than the moon’s shadow exits in southeastern Greenland, it would go throughout virtually all of Scoresby Sound, which can expertise 1 minute, 45 seconds of totality, and depart on the Blosseville Coast. Anticipate a number of cruise ships to be on this area, the place eclipse chasers on a once-in-a-lifetime Arctic journey will vie for views of totality amongst icebergs. From Scoresby and the Blosseville Coast, the completely eclipsed solar will hold about 26 levels above the western horizon.
Cruise itineraries that keep for a number of nights may have a good likelihood of seeing the northern lights after midnight, although the nighttimes in August will probably be minimal.
Path of totality in Iceland
The “Land of Fireplace and Ice” will probably be an irresistible vacation spot for eclipse chasers who wish to pair totality with a variety of different spectacles, together with volcanoes, waterfalls, lengthy days and the possibility to see the northern lights. Iceland’s unpredictable climate might show difficult for eclipse watching, however there are causes to be hopeful. Lovely days are potential in August, and the eclipse will occur late within the day there at about 25 levels above the west-southwest horizon. Which means you’ll have all day to decide on a location alongside Iceland’s western coast utilizing Iceland’s very detailed climate forecasts.
Anticipate crowds at scenic spots alongside the west coast and cruise ships to depart the capital, Reykjavik, for the purpose of biggest eclipse, which will probably be 18 miles (30 km) off the coast. Reykjavik will get 59 seconds of totality; Garður Outdated Lighthouse on Reykjanes Peninsula will get 1 minute, 42 seconds; Snæfellsjökull on Snæfellsnes Peninsula will get 2 minutes, 5 seconds; and Látrabjarg in Iceland’s Westfjords will get 2 minutes, 14 seconds, (the longest within the nation).
Path of totality in Spain and Portugal
After crossing a number of thousand miles of ocean, the eclipsed solar will arrive over Galicia on Spain’s northwestern coast at 7:30 p.m. CEST. Most totality will happen between Canero and Luarca at 1 minute, 50 seconds. Over the following 7 minutes, 20 seconds, the moon’s shadow will thread a needle by way of the nation’s north because it narrowly misses Madrid and Barcelona, each of which can see a 99% partial photo voltaic eclipse.
An important issue to contemplate whenever you’re researching the place to go in Spain is the altitude of the eclipse. Annoyingly, clouds are extra possible within the locations the place the eclipse will probably be greater within the sky (northwestern Spain), and clear skies are anticipated the place the solar will probably be low within the sky (japanese Spain).
Simply earlier than sundown throughout the area, the eclipse will probably be a most of 10 levels above the western horizon (from Galicia), and can sink to simply a few levels above the horizon by the point it reaches Spain’s east coast at Valencia and Tarragona. That makes the latter a poor alternative as a result of mountains to the west will typically block the view of the eclipse. Nevertheless, there are exceptions with expansive seashores, akin to Parc Pure del Delta de l’Ebre in Tarragona.
A candy spot could also be round Palencia and Burgos in Castile and León, near the centerline of the trail in a area with each flat horizons and a excessive likelihood of clear skies. This central area additionally has darkish rural skies, which can permit views of the Milky Method and the height of the annual Perseid meteor bathe on the evening of Aug. 12.
Though that is primarily an eclipse for northern Spain, a tiny space of Portugal will fall inside the moon’s shadow. Route N308, which runs from Rio de Onor to Guadramil, marks the southern fringe of the trail. Wherever past that, in Portugal’s excessive northeast, will expertise totality for as much as 27 seconds.
Path of totality within the Mediterranean Sea
The most effective local weather in the whole path of totality is discovered within the Mediterranean Sea, the place the moon’s shadow will depart the planet east of the Balearic Islands, an archipelago off japanese Spain. Tour teams and vacationers will flock to Mallorca, the most important of the Balearic Islands, the place the sight of an eclipsed solar — full with a golden corona — would be the prize only a diploma or so above the ocean. Wherever on the west coast will do, however Sant Elm may have the longest totality (1 minute, 36 seconds). Ibiza and Menorca are additionally good selections, though totality will probably be about 20 seconds shorter there.
Extra sources
Need to look additional forward? You could find a concise abstract of photo voltaic eclipses out to 2030 on NASA’s eclipse web site. Learn extra about photo voltaic and lunar eclipses on EclipseWise.com, a web site devoted to predictions of eclipses. See lovely maps on eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler’s GreatAmericanEclipse.com and interactive Google Maps on Xavier Jubier’s eclipse web site. You could find local weather and climate predictions by meteorologist Jay Anderson on eclipsophile.com.
Bibliography
Anderson, J. (Might 2024). Eclipsophile: Complete Photo voltaic Eclipse Aug. 12, 2026. Retrieved Jun. 4, 2024, from https://eclipsophile.com/tse2026/
Bakich, M. and Zeiler, M. (2022). Atlas Of Photo voltaic Eclipses 2020-2045. https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/books/atlas-of-solar-eclipses-2020-to-2045
Espenak, F. Photo voltaic Eclipse Prime Web page: Complete Photo voltaic Eclipse of 2026 Aug. 12. Retrieved Jun. 4, 2024, from: https://eclipsewise.com/photo voltaic/SEprime/2001-2100/SE2026Aug12Tprime.html
Jubier, X. (n.d.). Photo voltaic eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved Jun. 4, 2024, from http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipsesGoogleMaps.html
Time and Date. (n.d.). Aug. 12, 2026 Complete Photo voltaic Eclipse. Retrieved Jun. 4, 2024 from https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/photo voltaic/2026-august-12