Mainland Europe To See First Total Eclipse Of The Sun Since 1999

ByJamie Carter

ByJamie Carter,

Senior Contributor.

It’s exactly one year until the next total solar eclipse. On Aug. 12, 2026, a short totality will be seen from a narrow path stretching from northern Russia through Greenland, Iceland and Spain. It will be the first total solar eclipse to touch mainland Spain since Aug. 11, 1999.

The maximum totality for the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026, will be 2 minutes 18 seconds off the coast of western Iceland. During totality, the moon will perfectly block the sun, causing a brief 360-degree twilight, dropping temperatures and the chance to see the sun's corona with the naked eye.