What to know about Wednesday's total solar eclipse

The year 2026 will feature its sole total solar eclipse on Wednesday, offering a spectacular celestial display across parts of the Northern Hemisphere as darkness falls.

For those seeking the most dramatic experience of totality, prime viewing locations include northern Greenland, western Iceland, and northern Spain. Notably, Spain has not witnessed a total solar eclipse since 1905, making this event particularly significant for the region.

While the path of totality is geographically limited, a partial solar eclipse will be observable to a much broader audience. An estimated 230 million people are expected to see at least 90% totality, encompassing most major European cities like Madrid, London, and Paris.

Even parts of North America will catch a glimpse of a partial eclipse, although it will not be as impressive as the total eclipse experienced in the U.S. in 2024. The best view in the U.S. will be in Fairbanks, Alaska, reaching 37% totality, while cities like Boston and New York will see significantly less coverage.