MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse traversed the Russian Arctic, then moved over the North Atlantic before extending into Europe. According to the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse’s onset was observed over Russia’s isolated northern regions around 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow then journeyed across Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. The zone of totality was confined to a narrow corridor, while surrounding areas across Europe, North America, and Africa experienced a partial eclipse of the Sun.
NASA’s calculations indicated that the maximum eclipse occurred at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The period of totality in this region lasted approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. During this peak moment, the totality path spanned roughly 294 kilometers in width. When the eclipse was at its fullest, the Moon fully obscured the Sun’s luminous disk, revealing the solar corona— the Sun’s outer atmosphere visible only when the photosphere is blocked by the Moon. Outside the umbra, observers saw only a partial covering of the Sun.
The first areas to experience totality were in northern Russia as the lunar shadow entered the Arctic zone. The shadow then crossed the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. This path included Reykjavík and continued southward across the North Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula, with southern parts of Spain experiencing totality late in the day. A small section of northeastern Portugal also fell within the totality corridor. Most of Europe, along with parts of northwestern Africa and North America, observed only a partial eclipse.
Moon’s shadow moves across Arctic and Atlantic regions
During the final terrestrial phase of the eclipse, the shadow crossed over northern Spain where large crowds gathered in cities, towns, and rural areas across the northern and central regions. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a century. In many locations, the Moon fully covered the Sun just before sunset, with the Sun’s darkened disk near the western horizon because of its low angle. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse path.
Conditions for observing the eclipse varied greatly along the route. Much of Reykjavík was cloud-covered during totality, limiting direct visibility from the Icelandic capital, though parts of western Iceland experienced clearer skies. Several locations in Spain also enjoyed clearer conditions as sunset approached, allowing viewers to witness the Moon completely covering the solar disk during the central phase. Partial phases persisted longer because the Moon only partially covered the Sun before and after totality, and broader surrounding regions remained outside the narrow totality corridor.
Spain witnesses total eclipse near sunset
In the partial eclipse zones, the extent of the Sun covered by the Moon depended on the viewer’s location. Most of Canada and much of Europe experienced partial coverage, as did parts of the northern United States. Northwestern Africa was also within the partial visibility zone. During all partial phases, observers outside the totality corridor needed certified solar filters for safe direct viewing, removing eye protection only during the brief moments of totality before resuming protection as direct sunlight returned.
The European land phase concluded as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. The eclipse formed a continuous path linking remote Arctic regions with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe. Inside the totality corridor, northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal all experienced totality. Broader regions across three continents observed only partial phases. This event followed the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse across North America, with the 2026 eclipse path primarily centered over the Arctic and North Atlantic.