Partial Solar Eclipse to Grace Romanian Skies Before Sunset on August 12, 2026

Romanians will have a unique opportunity to witness a partial solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, a celestial event that has captivated humanity for millennia. While the total eclipse will traverse a path across eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, and northeastern Portugal, Romania will only experience a partial view of this astronomical spectacle.

The eclipse is set to occur just before sunset, offering an unusual and potentially breathtaking sight. Astronomer Adrian Șonka described it as "a Sun 'eaten' by the Moon at sunset, and it is spectacular." He noted that while not a showy event like fireworks, it provides a "calming" and rare visual experience, "an image you don't see every day, not even every year, and maybe not even once in a lifetime."

In Romania, the partial eclipse will begin around 8:20 PM in the westernmost parts of the country, with the best viewing conditions expected in the west and northwest. The degree of solar coverage will vary, with cities like Oradea seeing about 33% coverage, Satu Mare 32%, and Arad 31%. Coverage will be significantly less in central and eastern Romania, with only about 3% in Brașov and 2% in Pitești. The phenomenon will be less evident the further east one looks, with Luna covering a smaller portion of the solar disk in cities like Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu.

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La Oradea, acoperirea va fi de aproximativ 33%, la Satu Mare de 32%, iar la Arad de 31%. În centrul țării va fi de 10-15%. La Brașov, de exemplu, va fi de aproximativ 3%, iar la Pitești de circa 2%. Practic, în vestul țării se vede mai bine decât în centru sau în est