A total solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, as the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely blocking the Sun for people located within the path of totality. According to NASA, the eclipse will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small corner of Portugal. Several other places in the Northern Hemisphere will experience a partial solar eclipse, including parts of the northern United States, most of Canada, much of Europe and northwestern Africa. Solar eclipse 2026 date and time in India The solar eclipse will begin on the night of August 12 according to Indian Standard Time and conclude during the early hours of August 13. According to the worldwide timings provided by Time and Date, the different stages of the eclipse will occur at the following times in IST: Partial solar eclipse begins: 9:04 pm on August 12 Total solar eclipse begins: 10:28 pm Maximum eclipse: 11:16 pm Total solar eclipse ends: 12:04 am on August 13 Partial solar eclipse ends: 1:28 am These timings indicate when the respective eclipse stages will first begin or finally end at different locations worldwide. They are not viewing timings for India. Will the August 12 solar eclipse be visible in India? No, the total solar eclipse on August 12 will not be visible from India. The country lies outside both the path of totality and the broader region from which the partial eclipse will be visible. The eclipse will also take place during nighttime in India, when the Sun will be below the horizon. Therefore, people in the country will not be able to observe the August 12 Surya Grahan directly. Where will the August 12 solar eclipse be visible? The path of totality will pass through a remote region of northern Russia before moving across Greenland, Iceland and the North Atlantic. It will then reach Spain and a small part of northwestern Portugal. In northern Russia, totality will occur around midday. Greenland and Iceland will experience it during the late afternoon or early evening, while Spain and Portugal will witness it shortly before sunset. Cities including Reykjavík in Iceland and León, Valencia and Zaragoza in Spain will fall within the path of totality. According to NASA, totality will occur between 5:48 pm and 5:49 pm local time in Reykjavík. In León, it will last from approximately 8:28 pm to 8:30 pm, while Valencia will experience totality between 8:32 pm and 8:33 pm. All these timings are local. For most places along the path, the Sun will remain completely covered for less than two minutes. Totality will last slightly longer near the centre of the eclipse path in Greenland, Russia and the North Atlantic, but remain under two-and-a-half minutes. First total solar eclipse visible from Europe since 1999 The August 12 event will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe since 1999. During totality, daylight will briefly turn to twilight as the Moon completely covers the Sun. This will reveal the Sun’s faint outer atmosphere, known as the corona. The United Kingdom will not experience totality but will see a major partial eclipse. According to the Royal Astronomical Society, more than 90 per cent of the Sun will be covered in several parts of the country. London and Edinburgh are expected to witness approximately 91 per cent coverage, Cardiff and Belfast around 93 per cent and Plymouth about 95 per cent. How to watch the solar eclipse safely People should never look directly at the Sun during a partial solar eclipse or the partial phases of a total eclipse. Regular sunglasses do not provide adequate protection and can leave viewers at risk of permanent eye damage. Observers should use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Old eclipse glasses should be checked for scratches, holes, wrinkles or other damage before use. Cameras, binoculars and telescopes must be fitted with specially designed solar filters. Looking at the Sun through these devices without the appropriate filter can cause serious eye injuries. Those without eclipse glasses can use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector.
