Jakarta, SERU.co.id – A total solar eclipse will sweep across the far north and parts of Europe on August 12, 2026, briefly turning daytime into darkness along a narrow path of totality. The Moon’s shadow will travel from northern Russia across Greenland and Iceland, over the North Atlantic, then through Spain and a small corner of Portugal.
Viewers outside that path will still see a partial eclipse. How much of the Sun is covered depends on location. The event will not be visible from Indonesia or most of the rest of the world.
Five countries in the path of totality
Only Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia and Spain will experience the full eclipse. In those places the Moon will completely cover the Sun for a short time. The longest totality lasts a little more than two minutes over parts of Greenland and the North Atlantic. In northern Spain the period of darkness is shorter and comes late in the day as the Sun sits low near the horizon.
Partial eclipse across dozens of countries
A much wider area will see a partial solar eclipse. Observers across most of Europe, northwestern Africa, northern North America and parts of northern Asia will watch the Moon take a bite out of the Sun. Countries and territories in that broader zone include Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Western Sahara and the Aland Islands, among many others.
What happens during totality
When the Moon fully blocks the Sun, the sky darkens to a deep twilight. Temperatures can drop and the light takes on an eerie quality. The solar corona—the Sun’s outer atmosphere—becomes visible as delicate streamers of light around the black disk of the Moon. Bright stars and planets may also appear if the sky is clear.
NASA eclipse scientist Kelly Korreck has described the experience as uniquely powerful. The sudden change in the sky can feel strange or even unsettling at first, she notes, yet the sight of the corona is often unforgettable.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2026 Will Darken Skies Across Europe and the Arctic
Safety comes first
Ordinary sunglasses are not enough. Anyone watching the partial phases of the eclipse must use proper eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. The only safe time to look without protection is during the brief moments of totality, when the Sun is completely covered. The instant the first bright bead of sunlight reappears, the glasses must go back on.
A longer eclipse follows in 2027
The 2026 event is only the first of two major total solar eclipses in consecutive years. On August 2, 2027, another total eclipse will cross southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Totality in that event will last far longer—up to about 6 minutes 23 seconds near Luxor in Egypt. By comparison, the maximum duration for the 2026 eclipse is roughly 2 minutes 18 seconds. The 2024 North American total eclipse reached about 4 minutes 28 seconds at its peak.
Together the two eclipses offer skywatchers rare back-to-back opportunities to witness one of nature’s most dramatic spectacles. (aan/mzm)
Indonesian Version:
Gerhana Matahari Total 12 Agustus 2026 Lintasi Eropa hingga Arktik, Indonesia Tak Kebagian
