Today around 15 million people will be able to view a total solar eclipse in its entirety, with hundreds of millions more able to view a partial eclipse. Here’s when the eclipse is set to occur and how and when you can watch it in person and online.
What’s happening?
A total solar eclipse will be visible today (Wednesday, August 12, 2026) in parts of North America and Europe, including Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia, and Spain.
Varying degrees of a partial eclipse will be visible over a much wider area, including in parts of Canada, the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Liberia, Tunisia, and more.
In total, more than 70 countries will experience the partial or total eclipse today, according to TimeandDate.com. Nearly 980 million people, or 12% of the Earth’s population, will be able to see part of today’s eclipse.
NASA has an animated map that shows the path of totality for the eclipse.
It is occurring, as all solar eclipses do, because the moon will briefly move between the Earth and the sun today, blocking the sun’s light from hitting the planet for a few moments.
When to see the total eclipse in person
If you want to see the total eclipse in person, you’ll need to be in select areas of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia, or Spain today.
If you are, you’ll be able to witness the moon nearly completely blocking the light of the sun for roughly two minutes, with a longer, partial eclipse visible on either side of the total eclipse.
The time the total eclipse occurs depends on which city and country you are in. According to TimeandDate.com, those times include:
- Greenland: 13:07 ADT to 17:50 WGST
- Iceland: 16:42 GMT to 18:49 GMT
- Portugal: 17:30 AZOST to 20:42 WEST
- Russia: 03:37 ANAT to 21:34 MSK
- Spain: 19:30 CEST to 20:46 WEST
When to see the partial eclipse in person in the United States
Here in America, it won’t be possible to see the total solar eclipse. Depending on your location in the United States, you’ll be able to see the sun partially eclipsed by the moon to varying degrees.
According to NASA, people in Alaska will be able to see the most eclipse coverage, at about 28%, while those in Washington, D.C., and Michigan will be able to see only 4% and 3% coverage, respectively.
NASA says the following times are when people in the following cities can expect to see the most eclipse coverage possible (all times local):
- Anchorage, Alaska: 8:21 a.m.
- Bangor, Maine: 1:53 p.m.
- Boston: 1:55 p.m.
- Detroit: 1:36 p.m.
- Fairbanks, Alaska: 8:27 a.m.
- Juneau, Alaska: 8:24 a.m.
- New York: 1:54 p.m.
- Philadelphia: 1:53 p.m.
- Portland, Maine: 1:53 p.m.
- Washington, D.C.: 1:53 p.m.
Eclipse viewing safety
If you do plan on viewing the total or partial eclipse in person, it’s important that you never look directly at the sun. Doing so can permanently damage your eyes and cause blindness.
NASA maintains an Eclipse Safety page here with instructions on how to protect your eyes and view an eclipse safely.
TimeandDate.com also stresses that sunglasses will not protect your eyes during an eclipse.
How to stream the total eclipse live
The safest way to view the total eclipse is to watch one of the live streams covering the event from the comfort of your own home.
Both TimeandDate and NASA are offering a live stream of the total eclipse beginning later today on their YouTube channels.
- TimeandDate’s live stream will begin at 12 p.m. ET.
- NASA’s live stream will begin at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Both are available on YouTube, and both are embedded below.