MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse moved across the Russian Arctic. It continued its journey over the North Atlantic before reaching mainland Europe. State Space Corporation Roscosmos reported that the eclipse started over Russia’s remote northern areas around 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow then crossed Greenland and Iceland, heading toward Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. Totality was visible only within a narrow corridor. Regions surrounding the path across Europe, North America, and Africa experienced a partial solar eclipse.
NASA estimates placed the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The duration of totality in that area was approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. At the point of greatest eclipse, the totality path was roughly 294 kilometers wide. During totality, the Moon completely covered the Sun’s luminous disk, revealing the solar corona. The corona, which is the Sun’s outer atmosphere, becomes visible when the Moon obscures the photosphere. Outside the umbra, viewers saw only a partial covering of the Sun.
The first area to experience totality was 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 towards the Iberian Peninsula. Late in the day, northern Spain experienced totality. A small part of northeastern Portugal also fell within the totality corridor. The majority of Europe, along with parts of northwestern Africa and North America, observed only a partial eclipse.
Moon’s shadow travels across Arctic and Atlantic regions
During the final land phase of totality, the eclipse crossed a large portion of northern Spain. People gathered in cities, towns, and rural areas across northern and central Spain to observe the event. This eclipse 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 Sun’s low position near the western horizon created a darkened sky. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse path.
Viewing conditions varied significantly along the route. Cloud cover obscured much of Reykjavík during totality, limiting direct views from the Icelandic capital. Some parts of western Iceland had clearer skies. Many locations in Spain also experienced clearer weather as the eclipse neared sunset. Observers there saw the Moon completely cover the Sun’s disk during the brief central phase. The partial phases lasted longer because the Moon only partially covered the Sun before and after totality. Wider regions outside the totality corridor saw only partial eclipse views.
Spain experiences total eclipse near sunset
In the partial eclipse zones, the Moon blocked varying portions of the Sun depending on the location. Most of Canada and much of Europe encountered a partial solar eclipse. Several parts of the northern United States also fell within the wider visibility area. Northwestern Africa received a partial view as well. Those outside the totality zone needed certified solar filters for direct viewing throughout all partial phases. Eye protection could only be removed during the total eclipse itself and had to be worn again once direct sunlight reappeared.
The European land phase ended as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset. This eclipse connected the distant Arctic territory with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe in a 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 event on August 12 followed the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse across North America. The 2026 eclipse’s path was primarily centered over the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.