A total solar eclipse will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the North Atlantic, Spain and a small corner of Portugal on August 12, 2026, while millions more across the Northern Hemisphere will witness a partial eclipse, according to NASA.
The
In Spain and northwestern Portugal, the Sun will be completely eclipsed just before sunset, creating a rare "sunset eclipse" in which the partially eclipsed Sun sets below the horizon.
Outside the narrow
For most observers within the
NASA emphasised that it is only safe to look directly at the Sun during the brief moments of totality. During all partial phases of the eclipse, observers should wear ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or use approved solar filters. Looking at the Sun without proper protection, or through optical devices without specialised solar filters, can cause serious eye damage.
Those without eclipse glasses can safely observe the event using indirect methods such as a pinhole projector, which projects an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface without requiring direct viewing.
