Overview
- The total solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, will follow a narrow path of totality across Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia and parts of northern Spain while much of Europe, including the UK and Ireland, will see a very deep partial eclipse.
- In the UK the partial eclipse will run roughly from just after 6pm to about 8:06pm with maximum obscuration near 7:10–7:12pm and coverage ranging from about 90% in London to roughly 94–96% in the southwest and parts of Ireland.
- Scientists from DIAS and NASA will operate airborne observation flights over the North Atlantic and Irish Air Corps missions will carry solar telescopes to capture the corona and short‑term atmospheric effects, and several observatories will livestream the event for clouded locations.
- Public organisers report many viewing events are sold out and retailers are urging buyers to check for ISO 12312‑2 certification because ordinary sunglasses, damaged filters or counterfeit glasses can cause rapid, permanent retinal damage.
- Weather is the main remaining uncertainty for on‑site viewing, so viewers are advised to choose high spots with a clear western horizon, check late local forecasts, prepare verified solar viewers or use safe indirect methods such as pinhole projection.