Ísafjörður
approximately 1 min 31 s totality
Europe goes dark
at sunset.
The first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 1999 crosses Iceland, northern Spain and a small area of northeast Portugal. Much of the rest of Europe will see a partial eclipse. Use our map and coordinate calculator to check what is visible from your exact location and how to observe it safely.
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Official live coverage
Watch NASA's live eclipse broadcast
NASA has confirmed a free live broadcast featuring views from across the path of totality and commentary from eclipse experts. Coverage begins at 17:15 UTC on 12 August. Availability and individual camera views remain under the control of the official broadcaster.
- Official NASA coverage
- Views from the eclipse path
- Expert commentary
NASA coverage begins 12 August at 17:15 UTC (13:15 EDT).
The event
A once-in-a-generation eclipse
On the evening of 12 August 2026, the Moon's shadow races out of the Arctic, across Greenland and western Iceland, over the North Atlantic and into northern Spain; a small area of northeast Portugal also enters totality. Across a broad path, day becomes deep twilight for generally less than two minutes at most inhabited locations — with the Sun hanging low over the western horizon, ringed by its silver corona. Madrid city centre and Barcelona sit just outside the path and see the Sun almost entirely covered; London, Paris, Lisbon and Dublin experience deep partial eclipses.
~2 min 18 s
Maximum duration of totality, reached over the North Atlantic west of Iceland.
Iceland · Spain · Portugal
These are the principal European destinations in the path; the global path also crosses Greenland and remote northern Russia.
First since 1999
The last total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe crossed the continent on 11 August 1999.
Sunset show
In Spain, totality occurs around 20:27–20:33 CEST. The Sun is about 12° high in the northwest but only 2–5° high in parts of eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands.
Partial begins
~19:32 CEST
Deep partial
~20:10 CEST
Totality
~20:28–20:30
Partial resumes
after ~20:30
Partial ends
~21:22 CEST
This representative sequence uses León. Times, duration and sunset vary by location; in several eastern cities the Sun sets while the eclipse is still in progress. Use the map for your exact coordinates.
Interactive map
Where the shadow falls
Tap any city for its local eclipse time, how much of the Sun is covered, and whether it sits inside the path of totality. The shaded band shows the approximate track of the Moon's shadow across Iceland, Spain and the Portugal–Spain border.
Click anywhere on the map for exact eclipse circumstances.
Total eclipse
Partial eclipse
Approximate path of totality
Need more room to explore?
Open the dedicated map and city finder to search Europe or click your exact viewing location.
City simulator
What you'll see from your city
Watch the Moon move to each city's maximum eclipse. Totality destinations reveal the corona; partial-eclipse cities keep a brilliant crescent of sunlight.
Hellissandur
approximately 2 min 07 s totality
Keflavík
approximately 1 min 39 s totality
Reykjavík
approximately 1 min 01 s totality
A Coruña
approximately 1 min 16 s totality
Gijón
approximately 1 min 44 s totality
Oviedo
approximately 1 min 48 s totality
Santander
approximately 1 min 04 s totality
Bilbao
approximately 31 s totality
León
approximately 1 min 44 s totality
Burgos
approximately 1 min 44 s totality
Logroño
approximately 1 min 19 s totality
Palencia
approximately 1 min 42 s totality
Valladolid
approximately 1 min 29 s totality
Zaragoza
approximately 1 min 23 s totality
Castellón de la Plana
approximately 1 min 34 s totality
Valencia
approximately 1 min 01 s totality
Ibiza
approximately 1 min 04 s totality
Palma de Mallorca
approximately 1 min 36 s totality
San Sebastián de los Reyes
approximately 24 s totality
Madrid
Barcelona
Porto
Lisbon
Dublin
Edinburgh
London
Paris
Brussels
Amsterdam
Berlin
Rome
Tap the Sun to replay the animation. Every city name opens its own guide and city-centred interactive map.
City by city
Eclipse times across Europe
Compare the approximate local time of maximum eclipse, the fraction of the Sun's disc hidden, and the duration of totality where the full shadow passes.
| City | Type | Maximum Sun obscuration | Maximum eclipse (local time) | Totality lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ísafjörður, Iceland | Total | 100% | approximately 17:45 GMT | approximately 1 min 31 s |
| Hellissandur, Iceland | Total | 100% | approximately 17:46 GMT | approximately 2 min 07 s |
| Keflavík, Iceland | Total | 100% | approximately 17:49 GMT | approximately 1 min 39 s |
| Reykjavík, Iceland | Total | 100% | approximately 17:49 GMT | approximately 1 min 01 s |
| A Coruña, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:28 CEST | approximately 1 min 16 s |
| Gijón, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:27 CEST | approximately 1 min 44 s |
| Oviedo, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:28 CEST | approximately 1 min 48 s |
| Santander, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:27 CEST | approximately 1 min 04 s |
| Bilbao, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:28 CEST | approximately 31 s |
| León, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:29 CEST | approximately 1 min 44 s |
| Burgos, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:29 CEST | approximately 1 min 44 s |
| Logroño, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:29 CEST | approximately 1 min 19 s |
| Palencia, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:29 CEST | approximately 1 min 42 s |
| Valladolid, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:30 CEST | approximately 1 min 29 s |
| Zaragoza, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:29 CEST | approximately 1 min 23 s |
| Castellón de la Plana, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:32 CEST | approximately 1 min 34 s |
| Valencia, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:33 CEST | approximately 1 min 01 s |
| Ibiza, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:33 CEST | approximately 1 min 04 s |
| Palma de Mallorca, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:32 CEST | approximately 1 min 36 s |
| San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain | Total | 100% | approximately 20:32 CEST | approximately 24 s |
View all cities and the full interactive map
A tiny part of northeast Portugal around Rio de Onor enters totality, while Bragança city itself is just outside the path. Madrid city centre is also partial, but northern suburbs such as San Sebastián de los Reyes cross into a brief total eclipse.
Figures are approximate and given for guidance. Exact circumstances shift with your precise coordinates, and lunar terrain can alter path limits by a few kilometres and contact times by a few seconds. Verify the final viewing point before eclipse day. This site's local estimates are checked against eclipse data and guidance published by NASA and Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional.
Viewing guide
How to watch it well — and safely
Protect your eyes
Use eclipse glasses or handheld viewers that comply with ISO 12312-2 and come from a reliable supplier during every partial phase. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe. Cameras, binoculars and telescopes need special-purpose solar filters secured over the front of the optics. Remove eye protection only during complete totality and replace it before any bright part of the Sun returns.
Find a low western horizon
The eclipse happens near sunset in Spain. The Sun is approximately 12° high in the northwest, around 7–9° across several inland locations and only about 2–5° high in parts of the east and the Balearic Islands. Check the exact west or west-northwest sightline for buildings, trees, hills and low cloud.
Get inside the path
A 99% partial eclipse is not 99% of the experience. Darkness, the corona, stars at dusk — these only happen inside the band of totality. If you're in Madrid or Barcelona, use the map to travel into the nearest part of the totality band.
Plan early
Mid-August is a busy travel period. Use an official observation area where possible, confirm whether booking is required, arrive well before totality and keep emergency routes clear. Never stop on a road or shoulder to watch the eclipse.
Use a responsible weather plan
Historical cloud patterns are not a forecast for 12 August. Check official short-range forecasts, satellite imagery and the western horizon during the final days. Prepare one nearby legal alternative in advance, set a deadline for moving and do not chase gaps in cloud on congested roads.
Photograph it right
A special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the lens is essential during every partial phase. It may be removed only during complete totality from a location inside the path, and it must be replaced before the bright photosphere returns. Practise the complete sequence before eclipse day.
Sources and review
How this guide is checked
2026eclipse.live is an independent planning guide. It is not affiliated with NASA, the Instituto Geográfico Nacional or local event organisers. We combine published eclipse data with coordinate-based calculations, then distinguish confirmed official arrangements from recommendations and provisional information.
Location-specific calculations
The map and city pages use local coordinates because contact times, totality duration, solar altitude and path-edge status change from one place to another.
Named primary sources
Core astronomical and safety information is checked against NASA and the Instituto Geográfico Nacional. Regional arrangements are checked against the responsible public authority or organiser whenever available.
Dated updates
Weather, traffic, access, reservations and event programmes can change quickly. Time-sensitive guides display a review date and direct readers back to the relevant official source.
Primary references
- NASA: Total Solar Eclipse on 12 August 2026
- NASA: Solar eclipse viewing safety
- Instituto Geográfico Nacional: 12 August 2026 total eclipse
- Instituto Geográfico Nacional: Official eclipse visualiser
- Instituto Geográfico Nacional: Safe observation guidance
Homepage facts and references last reviewed: 5 August 2026. Calculated times remain planning estimates; verify your final coordinates and current local instructions before travelling.
Questions
Eclipse 2026 FAQ
When exactly is the 2026 solar eclipse?
Wednesday, 12 August 2026. Totality reaches western Iceland at approximately 17:45–17:49 GMT and northern Spain at approximately 20:27–20:33 CEST. Exact contact times depend on your coordinates, so use the map or city calculator for the intended viewing point.
Which European cities are inside the path of totality?
In Iceland: Ísafjörður, Hellissandur, Keflavík, Reykjavík and much of the west. In Spain: A Coruña, Gijón, Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao, León, Burgos, Logroño, Palencia, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Castellón, Valencia, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca are among the principal totality locations. Northern Madrid suburbs such as San Sebastián de los Reyes also enter the path. A tiny area around Rio de Onor in northeast Portugal is total, while Madrid city centre and Barcelona remain partial.
Is a 99% partial eclipse almost as good as totality?
No — the difference is dramatic. Even at 99% coverage the remaining sliver of Sun keeps the sky bright and the corona invisible. Only inside the path of totality do you experience darkness falling, the temperature dropping, and the Sun's atmosphere blazing around a black disc. If you can travel into the path, do.
Can I watch the eclipse online if I can't travel?
Yes. NASA has confirmed free live coverage beginning at 17:15 UTC on 12 August, featuring views from across the path and expert commentary. Open NASA Live shortly before the broadcast and check the official event page for schedule changes.
Why is this eclipse special for Europe?
It is the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 11 August 1999 and the first total eclipse visible from mainland Spain since 1905. Another total eclipse will cross southern Spain on 2 August 2027.
What happens if it's cloudy?
The sky will still darken inside the path, but cloud may hide the corona and the eclipsed Sun. Check official forecasts and satellite imagery during the final days. Prepare a nearby legal alternative in advance, but do not make a dangerous last-minute journey or stop on a road to search for clearer sky.
Can I watch the eclipse with my phone or camera?
Do not point an unfiltered camera, phone, telescope or binoculars directly at the Sun during a partial phase. Use proper eye protection for yourself and a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of any optical device. A filter may be removed only during complete totality from a location inside the path, then replaced before any bright part of the Sun returns.
Are the city times exact?
They are coordinate-based planning estimates. Times and totality duration can change across the same urban area, especially close to the edge of the path. Open the map at your exact viewing point and compare critical information with NASA, the Instituto Geográfico Nacional or the responsible national authority.