1 week to go until a dramatic total solar eclipse darkens the skies over Spain, Iceland and Greenland
Here's what you need to know before the total solar eclipse one week from now.
Just one week remains until the highly anticipated total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, which will captivate millions of skywatchers across Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia, and Spain. Millions will witness the moon entirely obscuring the sun's disk, starting at 12:58 p.m. EDT (1658 GMT), as documented by Time and Date. An impressive 980 million individuals, accounting for around 12% of the world's population, will observe a partial eclipse as the lunar disk appears to bite into the sun.
This celestial event happens during the new moon phase when the moon aligns directly between the sun and Earth, casting its shadow on a portion of our planet.
Specialized eyewear, such as Celestron EclipSmart Power Viewers, is essential for safely viewing the eclipse, offering 2x magnification with ISO 12312-2 certified lenses. Those in the U.K. and various European countries will experience a partial solar eclipse, with approximately 90% of the sun's surface obscured by the moon, while several northeastern U.S. states will observe a small "bite" taken out of the sun.
For accurate information on the extent of the sun's occultation by the moon, refer to Time and Date's interactive eclipse tracker. Prioritize safety by carefully reading our guide to safely viewing a solar eclipse and explore our recommendations for the best solar viewing gear. Our team of eclipse experts, including Skywatching Editor Daisy Dobrijevic and Skywatching Writer Anthony Wood, will provide live updates and insights from the field during the event.
If the eclipse isn't visible from your location, you can still enjoy witnessing the event in real-time through live streams, which will be announced closer to the date.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
