How and where to watch the solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12

The sky will present one of the decade's most anticipated astronomical events on August 12, 2026: a total solar eclipse. This phenomenon occurs when the Moon aligns perfectly between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking sunlight for several minutes. During this brief period, daylight will dim to twilight, revealing the Sun's corona, its outermost atmospheric layer.

According to NASA, the eclipse's shadow path will traverse a narrow band across the Northern Hemisphere. The journey begins in northern Siberia, crosses the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans, passes over Greenland and Iceland, and concludes over the Iberian Peninsula. Observers within this path will witness the Sun disappear entirely, though the phase of absolute darkness will be short, lasting less than two minutes for most, and up to two and a half minutes in central areas over Greenland or the North Atlantic.

The timing of the eclipse's peak will vary by location. In Greenland and Iceland, it will occur in the late afternoon, while northern Russia will experience it around midday. Spain and Portugal will see the maximum totality shortly before sunset. Millions outside the path of totality will observe a partial eclipse, including most of Europe, northwestern Africa, northern Canada, and parts of the United States from Alaska to North Carolina. The event will not be visible in Argentina or the rest of South America.

For those unable to witness the eclipse in person, NASA will offer a live stream with real-time imagery and expert commentary. The broadcast will begin at 10:15 AM Argentina time, with totality in Iceland at 10:45 AM and the peak over Spain at 11:28 AM. Beyond its visual spectacle, the eclipse presents a valuable scientific opportunity. NASA plans to use a WB-57 aircraft to follow the lunar shadow and photograph the corona, while the National Balloon Project will send students to Iceland and Spain to study atmospheric changes caused by the sudden darkness.