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Partial Solar Eclipse Crosses US, Canada August 12

7/16/2026

Summary

North America Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026 across Canada and the United States.
No North American location will experience totality, unlike the April 8, 2024 eclipse.
Atlantic Canada will see 53% coverage in St. John’s, while Presque Isle, Maine will reach 28%.
Most of the continent will view the eclipse from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm EDT.
Observers must use ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses and can view the Perseid meteor shower peak.

Summary

Eclipse Hits Europe

Cruise ships in Scoresby Sund, Greenland can view a 2-minute 17-second eclipse at 4:36 p.m. WGST.
In western Iceland, totality starts between 5:43 p.m. and 5:50 p.m. GMT, reaching a 2-minute 13-second maximum at Látrabjarg.
Spain’s Playa de la Escaladina in Galicia will see the country’s longest totality—1 minute 50 seconds at 8:26 p.m. CEST—under Bortle 4 conditions.
The eclipse’s timing matches Iceland’s (11:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m.) and Greenland’s (12:50 a.m.–4:40 a.m.) windows, allowing aurora displays with the Perseids.

Summary

Western Europe Eclipse

The eclipse coincides with sunset in Western Europe, hiding 90% of the sun.
In the United Kingdom the eclipse causes a temperature drop and softer shadows.
Venus will appear as the Evening Star after sunset, showing a half-lit phase visible with a telescope.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks early on Aug 13, offering a night-long meteor display.
The eclipse darkness unveils the Milky Way, creating an all-night astronomy festival across Europe.

History

Historical Context

NASA’s 2017 “Great American Eclipse” on August 21, 2017 was the first total solar eclipse to sweep the contiguous United States since 1979, drawing 7.5 million travelers across 14 states and prompting 1,200 American Astronomical Society outreach events. The forthcoming August 12, 2026 eclipse will again cross the U.S., Canada, Iceland and Greenland, with coordinated observations planned by the Royal Astronomical Society and the European Southern Observatory.

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North America Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026 across Canada and the United States.
No North American location will experience totality, unlike the April 8, 2024 eclipse.
Atlantic Canada will see 53% coverage in St. John’s, while Presque Isle, Maine will reach 28%.
Most of the continent will view the eclipse from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm EDT.
Observers must use ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses and can view the Perseid meteor shower peak.

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