Total solar eclipse to plunge northern Spain into darkness on August 12

Day will turn to night across a swathe of northern Spain on August 12 when the Moon slides directly in front of the Sun, delivering mainland Europe's first total solar eclipse since 1999. The path of totality, the narrow corridor where the Sun is completely obscured, will make landfall in northern Russia before crossing Greenland, Iceland, the northern tip of Portugal and a diagonal slice of Spain from Oviedo to Mallorca.

For observers in the Spanish city of Burgos, totality will last one minute and 48 seconds just before sunset. In parts of Russia and Greenland the darkness will linger for up to two and a half minutes. A much broader region, including most of Europe, Canada, the northern United States and northwest Africa, will see a partial eclipse lasting roughly one hour and 45 minutes.

Why this eclipse matters

Total solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth roughly once every 18 months, but the band of totality is so narrow, often less than 100 miles wide, that any given location waits an average of 400 years between events. The last time the shadow touched mainland Europe was August 11, 1999, when millions watched from Cornwall to Romania. The 2026 eclipse is the first of three notable solar events for Spain in quick succession: a longer total eclipse crosses the country's south on August 2, 2027, lasting six minutes and 23 seconds, followed by an annular "ring of fire" eclipse on January 26, 2028.

How to watch safely

Looking at the Sun without proper protection can cause permanent retinal damage, and there are no pain receptors to warn you it is happening. After the 2024 North American eclipse, researchers recorded a sharp spike in online searches for "my eyes hurt". Experts stress that only glasses certified to the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard should be used. Regular sunglasses, smoked glass or photographic filters are not safe. During the brief window of totality, and only then, it is safe to look with the naked eye to see the Sun's pearly corona.

What comes next

Weather permitting, the 2026 eclipse will be the most accessible total solar eclipse for European observers in a generation. Tour operators and local authorities along the Spanish path are already preparing for an influx of visitors. For those outside the path of totality, the partial eclipse will still offer a striking celestial display, provided skies are clear and proper eye protection is used.