MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse was visible as it moved across the Russian Arctic, before extending into the North Atlantic and onward into Europe. According to State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse started over Russia’s remote northern areas around 17:00 GMT. The shadow of the Moon passed over Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. Totality was observable only within a narrow corridor. Nearby regions across Europe, North America, and Africa experienced a partial solar eclipse.
NASA estimates identified the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The duration of totality there was approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. During this peak, the path of totality spanned roughly 294 kilometers in width. At the moment of greatest eclipse, the Moon entirely covered the Sun’s bright disk, revealing the solar corona—the Sun’s outer atmosphere visible when the photosphere is blocked. Outside the umbra, observers saw only a partial coverage of the Sun.
The first region to experience totality was northern Russia as the lunar shadow entered the Arctic zone. It then crossed over the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The path also included Reykjavík and continued southward across the North Atlantic towards the Iberian Peninsula. In the late afternoon, northern Spain experienced totality, with a small northeastern area of Portugal also falling within the totality corridor. Most of Europe, along with parts of northwestern Africa and North America, saw only a partial eclipse.
Moon’s shadow moves across Arctic and Atlantic territories
During the final land phase of totality, the eclipse traversed a large section of northern Spain. Crowds gathered in cities, towns, and rural vantage points throughout northern and central Spain. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a hundred years. In many locations, the Moon completely obscured the Sun just before sunset, with the Sun near the western horizon due to its low angle. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse path.
Viewing conditions varied significantly along the route. Many parts of Reykjavík experienced cloud cover during totality, limiting visibility from the Icelandic capital. Western Iceland had somewhat clearer skies. Several sites in Spain also enjoyed clearer conditions as the eclipse neared sunset, allowing viewers to observe the Moon fully covering the solar disk during the brief central phase. The partial phases lasted longer than totality, as the Moon only partially covered the Sun before and after the main event. Larger surrounding areas outside the totality path remained in partial eclipse.
Spain witnesses total eclipse near sunset
In the partial eclipse zone, the extent of the Sun obscured by the Moon varied by location. The majority of Canada and much of Europe experienced a partial solar eclipse. Some regions of the northern United States also fell within the wider visibility area. Northwestern Africa had partial views as well. During the partial phases, observers outside the totality corridor were advised to use certified solar filters for safe direct viewing. They could remove their eye protection only during totality, and needed to reapply it as soon as the Sun’s direct rays reappeared.
The European land segment of the eclipse concluded as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This event connected remote Arctic territories with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe through a single continuous path. Regions such as northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal lay within the totality corridor, while larger areas across three continents experienced only partial phases. The August 12 eclipse followed the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse over North America, with the 2026 path predominantly centered over the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.