MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse traversed the Russian Arctic before advancing toward European territories. The event originated over the remote northern regions of Russia around 17:00 GMT, as reported by Roscosmos, marking the moment when the Moon’s shadow entered the high Arctic. From there, the eclipse’s path extended across the Arctic Ocean, then over eastern Greenland and western Iceland, ultimately reaching northern Spain and a small area of northeastern Portugal near sunset.
The eclipse reached its peak over the North Atlantic at 17:45:53.8 UTC. According to NASA, the maximum duration of totality was approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. The central shadow zone spanned about 294 kilometers at this point, during which the Moon completely obscured the Sun’s luminous surface, revealing the solar corona around the dark lunar disk. Regions outside this narrow corridor experienced only a partial eclipse, remaining in daylight instead of complete darkness.
Initially, the eclipse’s shadow touched northern Russia and then moved westward across the Arctic, crossing eastern Greenland before passing over western Iceland and continuing into the Atlantic Ocean. Reykjavik was within the totality zone, although cloud cover hindered the viewing conditions in Iceland’s capital. As the Sun descended lower in the sky, the shadow moved toward the Iberian Peninsula; northern Spain emerged as one of the last major inhabited areas to witness totality.
Totality sweeps across Arctic and Atlantic regions
In Spain, the eclipse occurred late in the afternoon, with totality taking place just before sunset in many locations. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a hundred years. Crowds gathered across northern and central parts of the country to observe the Moon’s cover of the Sun, with the Sun’s low position placing the eclipse close to the western horizon. Thanks to clearer skies in several areas, many viewers were able to witness the full eclipse phase before daylight returned.
Weather conditions along the eclipse’s route varied significantly, with cloud cover and rain obstructing direct observation from some parts of Iceland, including Reykjavík. Conversely, other locations along the path experienced better visibility. During the partial phases, the Moon only obscured a segment of the Sun, allowing daylight to persist, and these phases lasted longer than totality, covering a much broader geographical area. Europe, northwestern Africa, and parts of North America all encountered some degree of partial solar eclipse during this event.
Final European phase occurs as the Moon’s shadow departs
Observers outside the totality corridor required proper eye protection, such as certified eclipse glasses or approved solar filters, throughout the partial eclipse, only removing them during the brief period of totality when the Moon fully concealed the Sun’s disk. Once the Sun reemerged, viewers had to immediately replace their protective gear. This safety measure was essential both before and after totality, including in regions where only a partial eclipse was visible.
As the Moon’s shadow moved away from Europe following sunset near the Iberian Peninsula, the route of totality included northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and northeastern Portugal. While many other parts of Europe, Africa, and North America experienced partial phases, the eclipse of August 12, 2026, notably followed the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse across North America. This event centered on the Arctic, North Atlantic, and western Europe, creating a continuous path that linked distant regions in a single celestial event.