Here's what to expect from 5 stages of the total solar eclipse 2026
From first contact to totality and beyond, this is what will happen during each stage of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse.
The Aug. 12 total solar eclipse will unfold in five distinct stages. The partial eclipse begins at first contact, when the lunar disk makes its first nibble out of the sun, first visible from Alaska at 11:34 a.m. EDT. Over the next hour and a half, the moon sinks deeper into the sun's disk, with the sky gradually darkening and pinpricks of light mimicking the celestial scene. The diamond ring effect and Baily's beads are among the most spectacular moments experienced during this initial phase.
Second contact signals the start of totality, the climax of the eclipse. The moon completely obscures the sun, transforming the sky into a false night. The outer atmosphere of the sun, the corona, becomes visible, creating a glowing halo around the moon. This phase lasts for a maximum of 2 minutes and 18 seconds, during which it becomes safe to remove eclipse glasses before the sun's fiery disk reemerges from behind the lunar disk.
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