Ísafjörður
approximately 1 min 31 s totality
Europe goes dark
at sunset.
The first total solar eclipse over mainland Europe since 1999 sweeps across Iceland, northern Spain and a tiny corner of northeast Portugal — while nearly every city on the continent watches the Sun turn to a crescent. Here is exactly when, where, and how to see it.
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Live broadcast
Watch the eclipse live — from Iceland to Mallorca
Free live streams from our cameras placed along the entire path of totality. If clouds cover one sky, we switch you to another — follow the Moon's shadow from the Westfjords to the Mediterranean without leaving this site.
- Westfjords, Iceland
- Reykjavík
- Northern Spain
- Valencia coast
- Mallorca
Streams begin before first contact · 15:34 UTC · Totality 16:58–18:33 UTC
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 tiny corner of northeast Portugal also enters totality. Across a broad strip roughly 290 km wide, day becomes deep twilight for up to two minutes — 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 all see roughly nine tenths of the Sun disappear.
~2 min 18 s
Maximum duration of totality, reached over the North Atlantic west of Iceland.
3 European countries
Totality reaches Iceland, Spain and a tiny corner of northeast Portugal, as well as Greenland.
First since 1999
The last total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe crossed the continent on 11 August 1999.
Sunset show
In Spain, totality happens around 20:30 local time with the Sun only 10–12° above the horizon.
First contact
~19:15 CEST
Deep partial
~20:00 CEST
Totality
~20:30 CEST
Partial ends
~21:10 CEST
Sunset
~21:20 CEST
Phase times are approximate for the Spanish path of totality and vary by a few minutes from city to city.
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 |
| Rio de Onor, Portugal | Total | 100% | approximately 19:30 WEST | approximately 12 s |
| Madrid, Spain | Partial | approximately 99.9% | approximately 20:32 CEST | — |
| Barcelona, Spain | Partial | approximately 98% | approximately 20:32 CEST | — |
| Porto, Portugal | Partial | approximately 94% | approximately 19:27 WEST | — |
| Lisbon, Portugal | Partial | approximately 91% | approximately 19:29 WEST | — |
| Dublin, Ireland | Partial | approximately 93% | approximately 19:14 IST | — |
| Edinburgh, United Kingdom | Partial | approximately 91% | approximately 19:15 BST | — |
| London, United Kingdom | Partial | approximately 90% | approximately 19:19 BST | — |
| Paris, France | Partial | approximately 92% | approximately 20:22 CEST | — |
| Brussels, Belgium | Partial | approximately 89% | approximately 20:22 CEST | — |
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. Eclipse predictions are based on calculations by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC and EclipseWise.
Viewing guide
How to watch it well — and safely
Protect your eyes
Use certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses for every partial phase — sunglasses, smoked glass and camera filters are not safe. Only during the brief totality, inside the path, may you look directly. The moment the first sliver of Sun returns, glasses go back on.
Find a low western horizon
This eclipse happens near sunset in Spain, with the Sun just 10–12° high. Hills, buildings and haze on the western horizon can hide it entirely. West-facing coastlines in Galicia, Asturias and Mallorca, or elevated ground inland, are ideal.
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 peak holiday season in Spain, and eclipse chasers from around the world are converging on the path. Accommodation in northern Spain, Mallorca and western Iceland is booking up far in advance — secure your base and a backup viewing spot.
Check the weather odds
August evenings in inland Spain are statistically among the clearest in Europe; the Atlantic coast and Iceland are cloudier gambles. Stay mobile on eclipse day and be ready to drive an hour toward clearer skies.
Photograph it right
A solar filter over the lens is mandatory for all partial phases. During totality only, remove it: try 1/500 s to 1 s brackets at ISO 100–400 on a tripod. And spend at least half of totality watching with your own eyes, not a screen.
Questions
Eclipse 2026 FAQ
When exactly is the 2026 solar eclipse?
Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The Moon's shadow crosses Greenland and Iceland in the late afternoon (around 17:49 GMT in Reykjavík) and northern Spain in the early evening, around 20:25–20:35 CEST. The rest of Europe sees its maximum partial eclipse within roughly the same hour.
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 — we're broadcasting the entire eclipse live and free, from multiple cameras placed along the path of totality in Iceland and Spain. Bookmark the live broadcast page and tune in from 15:34 UTC on 12 August.
Why is this eclipse special for Europe?
It's the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 11 August 1999, and the first over Spain in more than a century. It also comes as a pair: another total eclipse crosses southern Spain on 2 August 2027, making these two summers a golden age for European eclipse chasers.
What happens if it's cloudy?
Inside the path, totality is still unmistakable — the world plunges into twilight even under cloud. But to see the corona you need a clear line to the Sun, so build flexibility into your plans: check forecasts from a few days out and be prepared to relocate along the path on the morning of the eclipse. And if the sky defeats you, switch to our live cameras — one of them will be under clear sky.
Can I watch the eclipse with my phone or camera?
Pointing a phone briefly at the Sun generally won't damage it, but the image will be a blown-out glare without a solar filter, and looking at the Sun to aim your shot can damage your eyes. Use certified glasses for yourself and a proper solar filter for any lens during partial phases.