On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and parts of Russia and Portugal, offering up to two minutes and 18 seconds of totality. Major space agencies are preparing live broadcasts, while millions of viewers across Europe, Canada, and parts of the United States anticipate the rare spectacle.
The celestial event occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, obscuring the solar disc and plunging a narrow terrestrial strip into daytime darkness.
NASA and ESA Coverage Plans Across the Path of Totality
NASA will begin its live streaming coverage at 1:15 p.m. Eastern Time on August 12, capturing views across the trajectory and featuring interviews with subject matter experts, according to NASA. Totality is scheduled to begin in Iceland at 1:45 p.m. Eastern, followed by Spain at 2:28 p.m. Eastern.
In Europe, the European Space Agency is organizing a major broadcast starting at 19:30 Central European Summer Time. The agency will stream from the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel, Spain. The broadcast will be hosted by space scientist and science communicator Dame Dr Maggie Aderin, featuring ESA Director of Science Professor Carole Mundell alongside agency scientists Andy To, Miho Janvier, and Martin Hewitson, and observatory director Javier Cenarro.
“There is no other feeling like it.” “I burst into tears.” “Instant chills.” “Everybody should be watching.”
First reactions featured in NASA’s promotional video
Scientific Expeditions Chase the Moon’s Shadow in Spain and Iceland
Researchers are mobilizing inside the path of totality to study both solar mechanics and atmospheric changes. NASA-funded science teams will deploy a WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft to chase the Moon’s shadow, investigating the dynamics of the Sun’s corona. Simultaneously, student groups participating in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project will launch scientific balloons from Iceland and Spain to measure how temporary sky darkening alters Earth’s atmosphere.
On the ground, small villages and rural spots within the narrow zone of totality are seeing a massive influx of interest. In Avellanosa de Muñó, a tiny agricultural village in the Spanish province of Burgos, residents and travelers are preparing for the country’s first total solar eclipse since 1912. Because the eclipse coincides with sunset, the village’s elevated caves will provide an unobstructed western horizon as daylight fades twice—first during totality and again during natural twilight.
Partial Views Across North America and a Following Meteor Shower
While the path of totality bypasses the United States mainland, millions of residents in North America will experience a partial solar eclipse. Viewers across the U.S. will see varying degrees of obstruction. In Ohio, visibility will range from 0.6% in Columbus to 3.0% in Cleveland.
Skywatchers will also receive a secondary celestial display hours after the eclipse concludes. Under nearly moonless skies, the annual Perseid meteor shower will peak between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. local time on August 13, potentially delivering 60 to 100 meteors per hour for observers situated away from artificial light pollution.
Related reading