MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse made its way across the Russian Arctic, then continued over the North Atlantic before reaching Europe. According to the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, the eclipse started over Russia’s remote northern areas around 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow moved across Greenland and Iceland, eventually reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. The totality was visible only along a narrow pathway. In surrounding regions across Europe, North America, and Africa, a partial eclipse was observed.
NASA’s calculations placed the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. Totality in this zone lasted approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. The width of the path of totality at greatest eclipse was about 294 kilometers. During this phase, the Moon completely covered the Sun’s bright disk, revealing the solar corona, which is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, visible when the Moon blocks the photosphere. Outside this dark central shadow, observers only saw a partial coverage of the Sun.
The first to experience totality was northern Russia as the lunar shadow moved into the Arctic region. The shadow then crossed the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The path included Reykjavík and extended southward across the North Atlantic towards the Iberian Peninsula. Totality reached northern Spain late in the day, with a small area of northeastern Portugal also falling within the totality corridor. The majority of Europe, along with parts of northwestern Africa and North America, experienced only partial eclipse conditions.
Moon’s shadow crosses Arctic and Atlantic
During the final phase of totality over land, the eclipse traversed northern Spain, drawing crowds to cities, towns, and rural viewing sites across the northern and central regions. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a century. In many locations, the Moon completely covered the Sun shortly before sunset, with the low solar position near the western horizon creating a dramatic view. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse path.
Viewing conditions varied notably along the route. Cloud cover obscured much of Reykjavík during totality, limiting the direct view from the Icelandic capital, although some western areas in Iceland experienced clearer skies. Several locations in Spain also enjoyed clearer conditions as the eclipse neared sunset, allowing observers to witness the Moon fully covering the solar disk during the brief central phase. The partial phases lasted longer, with the Moon only partially covering the Sun before and after totality. Wider regions outside the totality corridor remained in partial eclipse.
Spain witnesses total eclipse near sunset
In the partial eclipse zones, the amount of the Sun obscured by the Moon varied depending on location. Most of Canada and much of Europe experienced a partial eclipse. Several parts of the northern United States also fell within the larger visibility area. Northwestern Africa saw a partial view as well. During all partial phases, viewers outside the totality needed approved solar filters for safe direct observation. They could remove their eye protection only during the brief total phase, resuming protection immediately afterward as direct sunlight returned.
The European land phase concluded as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This eclipse connected remote Arctic regions with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe along a continuous path. Northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal all lay within the totality corridor, while broader areas across three continents experienced only partial eclipse phases. Following the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse across North America, the 2026 event’s path was largely centered on the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.