MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse traversed the Russian Arctic before moving into the North Atlantic and onward across Europe. According to State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse commenced over Russia’s isolated northern regions around 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow then crossed Greenland and Iceland prior to reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. The zone of totality was confined to a narrow corridor. In contrast, extensive areas across Europe, North America, and Africa encountered only a partial eclipse.
NASA estimates identified the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The duration of totality in that region was approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. At the point of greatest eclipse, the totality path stretched about 294 kilometers across. During this phase, the Moon fully covered the Sun’s bright disk, revealing the solar corona, which constitutes the Sun’s outer atmosphere and becomes visible only when the photosphere is blocked. Outside the umbra, viewers observed only a partial covering of the Sun.
Initially, totality was observed in northern Russia as the lunar shadow entered the Arctic zone. The shadow subsequently moved across the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The eclipse path included Reykjavík and extended southward over the North Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula. Totality was visible in northern Spain late in the day, with a small part of northeastern Portugal also falling within the totality corridor. The majority of Europe experienced a partial eclipse, along with regions in northwestern Africa and parts of North America.
Moon’s shadow crosses Arctic and Atlantic
During the final land phase of totality, the eclipse crossed a large section of northern Spain. Crowds gathered across cities, towns, and rural areas in the northern and central regions. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a century. In many locations, the Moon completely obscured the Sun just before sunset, with the Sun near the horizon due to the low solar angle. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse’s path.
Viewing conditions varied considerably along the route. Many parts of Reykjavík experienced cloud cover during totality, limiting the view from the Icelandic capital. However, some western sections of Iceland had clearer skies. In Spain, the weather also improved as sunset approached, allowing observers to see the Moon fully cover the solar disk during the brief central phase. Partial phases extended longer because the Moon only partially covered the Sun before and after totality. Large surrounding regions remained outside the totality corridor.
Total eclipse near sunset in Spain
The partial eclipse zone displayed varying degrees of solar coverage depending on the location. Most of Canada and much of Europe experienced only a partial eclipse. Several areas in the northern United States also fell within the broader visibility zone. Northwestern Africa observed a partial view as well. Observers outside the totality zone were required to use certified solar filters for direct observation during all partial phases, removing eye protection only during the brief totality, and resuming it immediately afterward as sunlight returned.
The European land phase concluded when the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This eclipse linked the remote Arctic regions with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe through a continuous path. The totality corridor included northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small section of Portugal. Broader regions across three continents experienced only partial phases. Following the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse across North America, the 2026 event’s path primarily focused on the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.