For the first time in more than 100 years, mainland Spain, along with parts of Iceland and Greenland, will experience a total solar eclipse on August 12. The celestial event will begin near the North Pole before tracking southward across the Iberian Peninsula close to sunset.
Key Takeaways
A rare total solar eclipse will occur on August 12, passing through parts of Spain, Iceland, Greenland, and Portugal. This event coincides with a six-planet parade before dawn and the Perseid meteor shower after nightfall.
- Totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds in some areas.
- A partial eclipse will be visible across North America, Europe, West Africa, Alaska, Siberia, Canada, and the northern U.S.
- The European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, and other organizations plan extensive coverage of the event.
- This is Spain's first total solar eclipse in over a century.
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Totality Duration | 1 Difference | PBS and TimesLIVE report a maximum duration; UPI compares it to another event. | ▼ |
| Eclipse Date | Broad Agreement | August 12, 2026 | |
| Partial Eclipse Visibility | Broad Agreement | visible across North America, Europe, West Africa, Alaska, Siberia, Canada, the northern U.S. |
Totality Duration
▼PBS and TimesLIVE report a maximum duration; UPI compares it to another event.
Eclipse Date
Broad AgreementAugust 12, 2026
Partial Eclipse Visibility
Broad Agreementvisible across North America, Europe, West Africa, Alaska, Siberia, Canada, the northern U.S.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The path of totality, where daytime darkness will descend, includes slivers of Greenland and Iceland, with maximum totality occurring off Iceland's west coast. According to PBS, totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds, serving as a prelude to an even longer solar show next year.
The eclipse will be visible across much of the Northern Hemisphere, with a partial eclipse delighting onlookers in Alaska, Siberia, Canada, the northern U.S., Europe, and West Africa. The extent of coverage varies by location: 94% in Dublin, 83% in Oslo, Norway; 18% in Montreal; tapering to 9% in New York and just 2% in Norfolk, Virginia.
The European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, the Italian-based Virtual Telescope Project, and other organizations will provide extensive coverage of the event. The ESA plans a live webcast from Spain's Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre and a public celebration in Leon. Meanwhile, U.S. college research teams are launching more than 60 high-altitude balloons from Spain and Iceland to study Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse.
Adding to the cosmic wonder, six planets will form an arc in the sky before dawn on August 12, followed by the Perseid meteor shower peaking after nightfall. Eclipse mapmaker Michael Zeiler plans to capture any aurora forming during totality from a cruise ship in a Greenland fjord.
How this summary was created
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