MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass over the Russian Arctic before moving into the North Atlantic and continuing into Europe. According to State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse starts over Russia’s isolated northern areas around 17:00 GMT. The shadow of the Moon will cross Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. Totality will be visible only within a narrow corridor. Elsewhere across Europe, North America, and Africa, observers will witness a partial solar eclipse.
NASA estimates place the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The duration of totality in this region will be approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. At this point, the path of totality will be about 294 kilometers wide. During the total phase, the Moon will completely obscure the Sun’s bright disk, revealing the solar corona—the Sun’s outer atmosphere visible only when the photosphere is blocked. Outside the umbra, viewers will see only part of the Sun covered.
Initially, northern Russia will experience totality as the lunar shadow enters the Arctic zone. It will then traverse the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The eclipse path includes Reykjavík and continues southward across the North Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula. Totality will arrive late in the day in northern Spain, with a small section of northeastern Portugal also entering the totality zone. Most of Europe, along with northwestern Africa and parts of North America, will see only a partial eclipse.
Moon’s shadow crosses Arctic and Atlantic regions
During the final land phase of totality, the eclipse will cross a broad area of northern Spain. People gather in cities, towns, and rural viewing spots across the northern and central regions to witness this event. It marks Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a century. In many locations, the Moon will fully cover the Sun just before sunset, with the Sun near the western horizon due to its low position in the sky. This timing makes Spain one of the last major viewing points along the eclipse’s path.
Viewing conditions will vary significantly along the eclipse route. Cloud cover will obscure much of Reykjavík during totality, limiting direct views from Iceland’s capital. Some parts of western Iceland will have clearer skies. Many locations in Spain will also have better conditions as sunset approaches. Observers there will see the Moon completely cover the solar disk during the brief central phase. Partial phases will last longer, with the Moon covering only part of the Sun before and after totality. Larger surrounding regions will remain outside the totality corridor.
Spain experiences total eclipse near sunset
In the partial eclipse zone, the extent of the Sun obscured by the Moon varies based on location. Most of Canada and much of Europe will observe a partial solar eclipse, as will parts of the northern United States. Northwestern Africa also falls within the partial visibility area. To safely view the eclipse during all partial phases, observers outside the totality zone must use certified solar filters. They can remove their eye protection only during totality, resuming use immediately afterward as direct sunlight returns.
The European land phase concludes as the Moon’s shadow crosses the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This event links remote Arctic territory with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe in a single continuous path. Northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small portion of Portugal will be inside the totality corridor. Broader regions across three continents will experience only the partial phases. Following the April 8, 2024, total eclipse across North America, the 2026 event primarily covers the Arctic and North Atlantic areas.