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 Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image 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, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide.

Two days past perigee, the total eclipse will pass over the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, northern Spain and very extreme north eastern Portugal. The points of greatest duration and greatest eclipse will be just 45 km off the western coast of Iceland by 65°10.3' N and 25°12.3' W, where the totality will last 2m 18.21s. 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 as the next one visible over Iceland will be in 2196. As lunar perigee will occur on August 10, 2026, two days before the total solar eclipse, the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.

The total eclipse will pass over northern Spain from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean coast as well as 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 solar eclipse in continental Europe occurred on August 11, 1999.

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 2 August 2027. 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, North Africa and North America.

Circumstances
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 begin 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 at 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, as well as shortened civil twilight and extended nautical twilight. The darkening of the twilight sky could improve the chances of observing the inner Zodiacal light.

Images
Animated path

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 August 7, 2017
 * Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 19, 2035

Tritos

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

Solar Saros 126

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 1, 2008
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 23, 2044

Inex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 2, 1997
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 24, 2055

Triad

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1939
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 13, 2113