When is the next total solar eclipse? It’s on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, when the moon’s darkest shadow will sweep across Greenland’s Arctic fjords, Iceland’s volcanic landscapes and the wide plains of Spain. For up to 2 minutes 18 seconds, the moon will completely block the sun, turning day into an eerie twilight and revealing the sun’s hidden corona— and perhaps even the Northern Lights and “shooting stars.” Here’s everything you need to know.
JACKSON, WY - AUGUST 21: The sun is partially eclipsed in the first phase of a total eclipse in Grand Teton National Park on August 21, 2017 outside Jackson, Wyoming. Thousands of people have flocked to the Jackson and Teton National Park area for the 2017 solar eclipse which will be one of the areas that will experience a 100% eclipse on Monday August 21, 2017. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
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It will be the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 1999, Iceland’s first since 1954 and Spain’s first since 1905.
In Spain, totality will occur just before sunset, with the sun only a few degrees above the horizon—perfect for dramatic photography but requiring a clear western view.
Aug. 12 also sees the peak of the annual Perseids meteor shower, when up to 120 “shooting stars” per hour can sometimes be seen.
The last total solar eclipse on Earth occurred on April 8, 2024, when up to 4 minutes 28 seconds of totality was experienced within a narrow path of totality across Mexico, the U.S/ and Canada.
Total solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth roughly every 16 months, but at any one place they are exceedingly rare, often returning only once every few centuries.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun, perfectly covering the sun’s bright disk. That alignment is only possible because the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon—but also about 400 times farther away, making them appear the same size in the sky.
The total solar eclipse will take place on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with timing depending on where you are along the path of totality. In eastern Greenland, totality occurs in the afternoon, around 4:30 p.m. local time, with the sun still relatively high in the sky. The shadow then reaches Iceland, where totality occurs between about 5:45 p.m. and 5:48 p.m. local time. Finally, in Spain, the eclipse becomes an early evening event, beginning just after 8:25 p.m. CEST as the sun hangs low in the western sky.
Total solar eclipse, August 12, 2026, political map, showing path of totality. Moon obscuring the sun, crossing west to east through Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, including Balearic Islands.
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Here are 10 places to experience the 2026 total solar eclipse in eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain.
Of the three main viewing areas, Spain offers the best overall prospects, particularly in inland regions such as Castilla y León, where August skies are often dry and clear. Conditions in Iceland are far less predictable, with frequent cloud cover and rapidly changing weather patterns. Greenland can deliver stable skies, especially in the east—but its remoteness will be accessible only to eclipse chasers on specialist expedition cruise ships.
Spain, total solar eclipse, August 12, 2026, path of totality, map with cities. Moon fully obscuring the sun, crossing from west to east through northern half of Spain, including the Balearic Islands.
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The event unfolds over several hours, but the main spectacle—totality—lasts just a few minutes. It begins with a partial phase as the moon appears to take a “bite” out of the sun. As coverage reaches about 90%, daylight dims dramatically, shadows sharpen, and temperatures begin to fall. Seconds before totality, shimmering “Baily’s beads” and the famous “diamond ring” effect appear as sunlight streams through valleys on the moon’s surface. Then, suddenly, totality begins. The sky darkens, bright stars and planets may appear, and the sun’s corona emerges—an intricate halo stretching into space. The horizon glows like a 360-degree sunset. Totality is what eclipse-chasers travel the world to experience.
Viewing a solar eclipse safely is simple—but only if you follow one crucial rule: never look at the sun without proper protection, except during totality itself. Throughout the long partial phases before and after totality, you’ll need certified solar eclipse glasses to watch the moon gradually cover and then uncover the sun. Only at the precise moment when the sun is completely hidden is it safe to remove them and look directly at the corona with the naked eye. The instant sunlight reappears, even as a tiny sliver, eye protection must go back on.
On March 30, 2033, a total solar eclipse will occur in Alaska and Siberia. St. Lawrence Island, Barrow/Utqiagvik, Kotzebue and Nome in Alaska will be the places to witness a short totality just an hour or so after sunrise. Lasting 2 minutes 37 seconds maximum, this darkness early in the day will occur during the peak season for the aurora borealis.
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