Total Solar Eclipse Crosses Arctic and Europe on Aug. 12

A total solar eclipse will traverse the Arctic and Europe on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, casting a narrow shadow across parts of Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, where millions will witness the sun's complete disappearance. This celestial event marks the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 1999.

The moon's shadow will first cross the Arctic Circle from northern Russia before sweeping over eastern Greenland and western Iceland. Totality will reach the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland around 17:48 GMT, with the path continuing across the North Atlantic to reach northern Spain shortly before sunset. In Spain, the total phase will occur low in the sky, moving southeast across the country. Cities in the path of totality include León, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Teruel, and Valencia. The entire event will begin with a partial eclipse at 15:34 GMT, with the total phase starting at 16:58 GMT. Maximum eclipse, lasting up to two minutes and 18 seconds, is expected at approximately 17:46 GMT, and the final partial phase will conclude at 19:58 GMT.

While only about 15.2 million people live within the 180-mile-wide path of totality, an estimated 980 million people...