Eclipse Will Reach Maximum at 17:46 UTC
Skywatchers are preparing for the only total solar eclipse of 2026, which will take place on Wednesday, August 12. The event will briefly turn daylight into darkness along a narrow path crossing the Arctic, North Atlantic and parts of Europe. It will also be mainland Europe’s first total solar eclipse since 1999.
The eclipse will begin globally at 15:34:15 UTC, when the Moon starts partially covering the Sun at the first visible location. The total phase will begin at 16:58:09 UTC, while the eclipse will reach its maximum point at 17:46:06 UTC. Totality will end globally at 18:34:07 UTC, and the final partial phase will conclude at 19:57:57 UTC. These are worldwide timings, and local viewing times will vary by location.
At the point of greatest eclipse, the Sun will remain completely covered for approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. The central shadow will be about 294 kilometres wide at that location. Most observers elsewhere inside the path of totality will experience complete darkness for less than two minutes.
Greenland, Iceland and Spain Among Best Viewing Locations
The path of totality will begin in far northern Siberia before moving across the Arctic region. It will then pass through Greenland, western Iceland, the North Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a very small northwestern section of Portugal. Only people inside this narrow path will see the Moon completely cover the Sun.
Greenland and locations near the centre of the shadow will experience some of the longest periods of totality. Iceland will see the eclipse during the late afternoon or early evening, with Reykjavík and several western areas located inside or close to the totality path.
In Spain, the partial phase will begin in the earliest affected areas at around 7:30 p.m. local time. Totality will begin at different locations between approximately 8:26 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., shortly before sunset. Northern and eastern regions, including parts of Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Aragon and the Balearic Islands, will be positioned within the totality path.
Spain is expected to provide one of the most dramatic views because the fully eclipsed Sun will appear low above the western horizon. However, the low altitude means mountains, buildings, clouds and haze could obstruct the view. Observers will need a clear, open western horizon.
A small corner of northwestern Portugal will also experience totality. Most of Portugal will see a deep partial eclipse instead.
Partial Eclipse Visible Across Europe and North America
Millions of people outside the totality path will still see a partial solar eclipse. The partial phase will be visible across most of Europe, much of Canada, northwestern Africa and parts of the northern United States, including areas from Alaska to North Carolina.
Observers in much of Europe will see a large section of the Sun covered by the Moon. In several mainland European and African locations, the Sun will set before the partial eclipse has completely ended. This will produce a rare view of an eclipsed Sun disappearing below the horizon.
The United Kingdom and Ireland will experience a major partial eclipse during the evening. Northern areas and locations closer to the totality path will see a greater portion of the Sun covered than regions farther south and east.
Only a relatively small portion of the Sun will be covered in many parts of the United States. Alaska and northern Canada will see the eclipse during the morning, while eastern Canadian provinces and northern US locations will experience it later in the day.
Eclipse Will Not Be Visible From Pakistan
The August 12 solar eclipse will not be visible from Pakistan. The Moon’s shadow and the wider partial-eclipse zone will remain far to the north and west of the country. Pakistan’s published list of upcoming visible eclipses does not include the August 12 event.
In Pakistan Standard Time, the worldwide eclipse will begin at approximately 8:34 p.m. on August 12, reach maximum at about 10:46 p.m., and end shortly before 1 a.m. on August 13. These converted timings describe the eclipse’s global progress only and do not represent a visible event in Pakistan.
People in Pakistan will be able to follow the eclipse through online broadcasts and live coverage from locations inside the viewing path. Timeanddate has announced that its eclipse broadcast is scheduled to begin at 16:00 UTC.
Special Glasses Essential for Safe Viewing
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun. People standing inside the Moon’s darkest shadow, known as the umbra, see the Sun’s bright surface completely covered. The outer atmosphere of the Sun, called the corona, then becomes visible around the dark Moon.
Viewers must use certified solar eclipse glasses or safe handheld solar viewers throughout every partial phase. Ordinary sunglasses do not provide adequate protection and can allow dangerous levels of solar radiation to reach the eyes.
Eye protection may be removed only during the brief period of complete totality, when the Sun’s bright face is entirely covered. It must be put back on immediately when any part of the Sun reappears. Cameras, binoculars and telescopes also require properly fitted solar filters during all partial phases.
