The path of totality crosses northern Russia and the Arctic before continuing across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small corner of Portugal; a partial eclipse covers a much wider region. Map: European Space Agency. Acknowledgements: ATG Europe. Source calculations: Spain’s National Geographic Institute and Spanish Astronomical Observatory. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
A total solar eclipse will sweep across parts of the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, briefly revealing the Sun’s corona along a narrow path from northern Russia to the Iberian Peninsula.
India is outside the visible region, so the eclipse cannot be watched directly from the country. Indian viewers can instead follow NASA’s live coverage, which is scheduled to begin at 10:45 p.m. IST.
Where the path of totality will go
The NASA eclipse map and visibility guide places the path of totality across northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small corner of Portugal. The Atlantic Ocean also lies beneath part of the path.
Inside this narrow band, the Moon will completely cover the Sun’s bright face for a short period. For most locations in the path, totality will last less than two minutes. Near the centre of the path in Russia, Greenland and the North Atlantic, it will remain under two and a half minutes.
A much wider area will experience a partial eclipse. This includes most of Canada, parts of the northern United States, much of Europe and northwestern Africa. In parts of mainland Europe and Africa, the Sun will set while it is still partially eclipsed.
Spain will have one of Europe’s clearest public vantage points. According to the European Space Agency’s eclipse overview, this will be the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain since 1905.
What the eclipse means for viewers in India
Independent global visibility calculations place India outside both the total and partial eclipse regions. There will be no safely observable solar eclipse from India on August 12.
NASA nevertheless plans to carry live views from along the eclipse path, including Iceland and Spain. Its broadcast schedule currently lists a 1:15 p.m. EDT start, which is 10:45 p.m. IST on August 12.
Because broadcast arrangements can change, viewers should check NASA’s schedule again shortly before the programme begins.
How to view a solar eclipse safely
Anyone watching from an eclipse region must protect their eyes throughout every partial phase. Ordinary sunglasses, regardless of how dark they appear, are not safe for looking at the Sun.
Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers should conform to the ISO 12312-2 safety standard and come from a manufacturer or authorised reseller vetted by a reliable astronomy organisation. The American Astronomical Society’s safety guidance warns that an ISO label by itself does not prove that a viewer has been properly tested.
Inspect a viewer before use and discard it if the filter is scratched, torn, punctured or separating from its frame.
Do not look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or another optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or holding a solar viewer. Concentrated sunlight can damage the filter and cause serious eye injury. Optical equipment requires a purpose-built solar filter fixed securely to the front of the instrument.
Only people inside the path of totality may briefly remove eye protection when the Moon has completely covered the Sun’s bright face. Protection must be put back on before any part of the bright Sun reappears. Anyone seeing only a partial eclipse must keep proper solar protection in place whenever looking towards the Sun.
Why scientists are watching from the air
NASA-funded teams plan to use the eclipse to study both the Sun’s outer atmosphere and changes closer to Earth.
A NASA research aircraft and balloon programme will send a WB-57 aircraft to about 50,000 feet with four cameras. The cameras are designed to capture at least 20 images per second in several visible and infrared wavelengths. By flying along the path, the team expects to observe the corona for nearly three minutes—longer than any fixed location on the ground.
NASA-supported student teams also plan to launch 80 balloons in Iceland to study changes in the lowest part of the atmosphere before, during and after the eclipse. Three teams in Spain are due to launch six more balloons carrying 360-degree cameras and ozone-measuring instruments.
These are planned observations, not research results. Scientists hope the resulting data will improve their understanding of the corona and of how a sudden, short-lived loss of sunlight affects the atmosphere, but conclusions can come only after the eclipse data have been collected and analysed.
