On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the surface of the earth. At sunrise it will be visible in the far north of Siberia in Russia. The “path of totality” sweeps across the Arctic Ocean, brushing within a few miles of the North Pole. The morning light will briefly vanish then reappear along 1,000 miles of Greenland’s northeastern flank.
The closer the observer is to the centre of the path of totality, the longer the eclipse lasts. Watchers in the far west of Iceland are in for a treat. Operations at Keflavik airport, serving Reykjavik, will surely pause for the couple of minutes of totality; the next total solar eclipse for the Atlantic nation be along 170 years later.
Final landfall will be over Spain, with much of the north coast falling within the line of totality. Almost all of northern Spain will experience totality, as will the Balearic Islands – with the centre line passing straight over Palma de Mallorca (and its airport).
Only a tiny proportion of humanity has ever witnessed a total eclipse – but the Spanish crossing, at the height of the tourist season, will provide an astronomical experience for millions in many alluring locations.
Here’s everything you need to know about why you witness this phenomenon – and where to be to make the most of the experience.
What happens during a total solar eclipse?
The greatest show on earth comes courtesy of the lifeless moon. Normally the orbiting lunar lump merely provides earth with tides, moonlight and somewhere to aim space rockets. But roughly once a year the natural satellite aligns with the sun and, thanks to a geometric miracle, blots out the hub of the solar system to create a total eclipse.
“Even though the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, it’s also about 400 times closer to earth than the sun is,” says Nasa. “This means that from earth, the moon and the sun appear to be roughly the same size in the sky.”
A narrow band marking the “path of totality” carves an arc of darkness across the surface of our planet. If you are somewhere on that line at the predicted time, and you have clear skies, then the experience will become a lifelong memory.
The closer you are to the centre of the path of totality, the longer the total eclipse will last. The longest totality in 2026 will be in the far north of…
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