Total Solar Eclipse Crosses Europe on August 12

A total solar eclipse will sweep across parts of Europe on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with the Moon completely blocking the Sun along a narrow path that crosses Greenland, Iceland, and portions of Spain and Portugal. The celestial event, the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe this century, is drawing thousands of travelers, scientists, and eclipse enthusiasts to prime viewing locations.

The path of totality, where the Sun is fully obscured, will cross the Atlantic before making landfall in Europe. Observers within this corridor will experience a dramatic midday darkness as the Moon's shadow passes over. Those outside the path will witness a partial eclipse, with the Moon appearing to take a bite out of the solar disk and temporarily dimming daylight.

In Iceland, preparations are underway for a rare spectacle. The event will be the country's first total solar eclipse since 1954 and the first to cross Reykjavík since 1433. The path of totality will sweep across western Iceland, including the Westfjords, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Reykjavík, and the Reykjanes Peninsula. In Reykjavík, the partial eclipse will begin at approximately 4:47 p.m. GMT, with totality...