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Total Solar Eclipse Will Cross Greenland, Iceland and Northern Spain on August 12, 2026

Coinciding with the Perseid meteor peak, it will raise public interest, force planners to prioritize safety, increase travel demand, heighten weather contingency planning

Overview

  • The eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026, with a narrow path of totality mapped by NASA across parts of northern Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, the North Atlantic and northern Spain including the Balearic Islands.
  • NASA calculates the umbral path will reach about 294 kilometres wide at maximum and that greatest totality will last roughly 2 minutes 18.2 seconds, with local contact times published to the second.
  • Most of Europe and parts of North America will see a deep partial eclipse, with many cities such as London, Paris and Dublin seeing roughly 90% or more solar coverage.
  • Authorities and astronomers warn that certified ISO 12312-2 solar viewers are required for all partial phases and that naked-eye viewing is safe only during totality and only for observers inside the path of totality.
  • The eclipse coincides with the Perseid meteor shower peak on the night of August 12–13, a combination that boosts scientific and photographic value while driving demand for cruises, tours and live broadcasts and increasing the risk that weather or blocked western horizons in Spain will deny some visitors totality.