MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse made its way across the Russian Arctic. From there, it moved over the North Atlantic and into Europe. According to State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse started over Russia’s northernmost regions around 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow traversed Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. Totality was visible only along a narrow corridor. Nearby areas across Europe, North America, and Africa experienced a partial eclipse instead.
NASA estimated the moment of greatest eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. In that region, totality lasted approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. At this peak, the path of totality stretched about 294 kilometers wide. During the brief total phase, the Moon entirely covered the Sun’s bright disk, revealing the solar corona. The corona, which is the Sun’s outer atmosphere, becomes visible when the Moon blocks the photosphere. Outside the umbra, viewers saw only a part of the Sun covered.
Totality first occurred in northern Russia as the lunar shadow entered the Arctic zone. It then moved across the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The path included Reykjavík and continued southward across the North Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula. In late day, northern Spain experienced totality. A small section of northeastern Portugal also entered the totality zone. Much of Europe, as well as northwestern Africa and parts of North America, saw only a partial eclipse.
Moon’s shadow traverses Arctic and Atlantic regions
The eclipse crossed a broad area of northern Spain during the final land phase of totality. Crowds gathered in cities, towns, and rural sites across northern and central Spain. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a hundred years. In many locations, the Moon fully covered the Sun just before sunset. The low solar position placed the darkened Sun near the western horizon. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing locations along the eclipse path.
Viewing conditions varied greatly along the route. Clouds covered much of Reykjavík during totality, limiting views from the Icelandic capital. Western parts of Iceland experienced clearer skies. Many locations in Spain also enjoyed clearer conditions as sunset neared. Observers there saw the Moon completely cover the solar disk during the short central phase. The partial phases lasted longer because the Moon only partially covered the Sun before and after totality. Larger surrounding areas outside the totality corridor saw only partial eclipses.
Spain witnesses the eclipse near sunset
During the partial eclipse phase, the Moon blocked different parts of the Sun depending on location. Most of Canada and much of Europe experienced a partial eclipse. Some northern U.S. states also fell within the broader visibility zone. Northwestern Africa saw partial coverage as well. Viewers outside the totality zone needed certified solar filters for safe direct viewing during all partial phases. They could remove eye protection only during totality. As soon as direct sunlight returned, eye protection was necessary again.
The land-based phase over Europe ended as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This eclipse linked remote Arctic territories with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe in one continuous path. Northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal lay within the totality corridor. Larger regions across three continents experienced only partial phases. The August 12 event followed the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse across North America. In 2026, the path mainly focused on the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.