What are the key details of the total solar eclipse crossing Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain on August 12 — including the path of totality, the timing and extent of the partial eclipse visible from the UK and Ireland, safety recommendations for viewing, and the fact that t

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will cross the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain — and the same night, the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak under a new moon, creating an exceptionally rare double celestial event.

Path of totality

• The Moon's shadow first touches Earth at sunrise over the Siberian Arctic, then sweeps across the North Pole region, eastern Greenland, and western Iceland before making landfall over northern Spain and a sliver of northeastern Portugal .
• The path of totality is about 182–294 km (113–183 mi) wide and lasts about 96 minutes from start to finish across the Earth's surface .
• Maximum totality reaches 2 minutes 18 seconds in the Denmark Strait just off Iceland's west coast, near the point of greatest eclipse .
• After Spain, the path continues over the Balearic Islands and ends at sunset over the Mediterranean Sea .
• Most of Greenland's population lives on the western side of the island, so very few people there will see totality on land .

Partial eclipse from the UK and Ireland

• The UK and Ireland will see a deep partial solar eclipse in the early evening, with the Sun low in the west-northwest sky .
• Key approximate timings (BST / IST):
  • London: First contact ~6:17 p.m., maximum ~7:13 p.m. (91% coverage), end ~8:06 p.m.
  • Dublin: First contact ~6:12 p.m., maximum ~7:10 p.m. (94% coverage), end ~8:05 p.m.
  • Southwest Ireland reaches up to 96.6% coverage — the deepest partial in the region since 1999 .
• The Sun will be very low in the sky, so you need a clear, unobstructed western horizon (especially for viewers in western UK and Ireland, where cloud prospects are poorer) .

Safety recommendations

• Never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection, even during the partial phases. Use only certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers .
• Regular sunglasses, smoked glass, or unfiltered cameras/telescopes are not safe .
• During the brief moments of totality only (for those inside the path of totality), it is safe to look with the naked eye — but you must put eye protection back on the instant the Sun reappears .

The Perseid meteor shower on the same night

• The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of August 12–13, active from July 17 to August 24 .
• A new moon occurs on August 12, meaning skies will be completely dark with no moonlight interference — creating near-ideal viewing conditions for meteors .
• Under a dark sky, observers can expect 60–100 meteors per hour at the peak, with the best viewing after midnight local time when the radiant (in Perseus, northeast) is highest .
• This is a rare convergence: the same day brings a total solar eclipse by day and a moonless Perseid peak by night .