Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Northern Russia to see rare event first, will India also witness phenomenon?
Solar eclipse 2026 live updates: Daylight will briefly turn into darkness on Wednesday as the Moon completely covers the Sun. It will be visible either partially or in totality across Europe and parts of the US. However, it will occur at night in India and will not be visible from the country.
Solar eclipse 2026 live updates: Daylight will briefly give way to darkness on Wednesday as the Moon will completely cover the Sun, causing a rare total solar eclipse....Read More
The eclipse will be seen either partially or in totality from several regions, including Europe, Greenland, Iceland, northwestern Africa and parts of the United States.
What is an eclipse?
An eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight and casting a narrow shadow over parts of our planet.
During a total solar eclipse, daylight can briefly turn into twilight. Temperatures may fall, shadows can take on unusual shapes, and some animals may behave as if night has arrived.
Will the solar eclipse be visible in India?
No, the solar eclipse will not be visible in India, either as a total or partial eclipse. The main reason is that the eclipse's visibility path does not extend over India. A solar eclipse can only be seen from the part of Earth where the Moon's shadow falls.
For this eclipse, the Moon's shadow will sweep across the Northern Hemisphere, with the path of totality passing through parts of northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal. Other parts of Europe, North America and northwest Africa will see a partial eclipse.
‘Cosmic coincidence’
In reality, the phenomenon is the result of a "cosmic coincidence", according to Nasa. "Even though the Sun is about 400 times bigger than the Moon, it is also about 400 times farther away," the US space agency says.
As a result, people in the right location can see the Moon completely cover the Sun, revealing its outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
Where will it be visible?
On August 12, the total eclipse will first be visible from a remote area in northern Russia.
The “path of totality”, as it is known, will then pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the northeastern tip of Portugal.
In Spain, the path will broadly stretch from the northern city of Oviedo to the island of Mallorca.
How long will it last?
In Spain, the total eclipse will be visible for less than two minutes shortly before sunset.
It will continue for slightly longer in some parts of Russia and Greenland, although the total duration will remain under two-and-a-half minutes.
Partial phases of the eclipse, which occur as the Moon begins to move across the Sun and then moves away, will last around one hour and 45 minutes.
Solar eclipse timing
According to information gathered from multiple reports, here is how the eclipse will unfold on August 12
15:34 GMT: The partial eclipse begins at the first location on Earth.
16:58 GMT: The total solar eclipse begins at the first location.
17:46 GMT: The eclipse reaches its maximum, with totality lasting about two minutes and 18 seconds near the centre of its path.
Around 17:48 GMT: The eclipse reaches its maximum in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Around 18:27 GMT: Totality reaches Spain.
18:34 GMT: The total eclipse phase ends globally.
19:58 GMT: The partial eclipse ends at the last location on Earth
Why the celestial event is rare
One or two solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth each year. However, because the path of totality covers only a narrow area, the same location may have to wait around 400 years for another total eclipse.
On August 2, 2027, another total solar eclipse will pass across southern Spain, northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Totality during that eclipse will last six minutes and 23 seconds. A longer total solar eclipse will not occur until 2114.
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- 12 Aug 2026, 10:56:38 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Will the solar eclipse be visible in India?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: No, the solar eclipse will not be visible in India, either as a total or partial eclipse.
The main reason is that the eclipse's visibility path does not extend over India. A solar eclipse can only be seen from the part of Earth where the Moon's shadow falls.
For this eclipse, the Moon's shadow will sweep across the Northern Hemisphere, with the path of totality passing through parts of northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal. Other parts of Europe, North America and northwest Africa will see a partial eclipse.
- 12 Aug 2026, 10:17:35 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Electricity prices in Germany to briefly surge during eclipse
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Electricity prices in Germany are expected to rise briefly on Wednesday as the solar eclipse reduces sunlight, news agency AFP reported citing market data.
Spot electricity for Wednesday evening, when the partial eclipse is expected to block much of the sunlight, was being offered at more than 400 euros ($461.61) per megawatt-hour (MWh) during some 15-minute periods. This is more than twice Tuesday's price for the same period, according to European Power Exchange data.
Prices for the period between 7:45 pm and 8:00 pm (1745 and 1800 GMT) on Wednesday, around the time of the eclipse's peak, were as high as 461.17 euros.
Such sudden price movements are increasingly common in Germany's power market, where renewable energy plays a growing role. However, supplies from these sources can vary depending on weather conditions.
(Inputs from AFP)
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- 12 Aug 2026, 09:54:25 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: How long is rare total solar eclipse expected to last?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: In Spain, the total eclipse will be visible for less than two minutes shortly before sunset.
It will continue for slightly longer in some parts of Russia and Greenland, although the total duration will remain under two-and-a-half minutes.
Partial phases of the eclipse, which occur as the Moon begins to move across the Sun and then moves away, will last around one hour and 45 minutes.
- 12 Aug 2026, 09:32:04 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Where can solar eclipse be seen?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: On August 12, a remote region of northern Russia will be the first place to witness the total solar eclipse, news agency AFP reported.
The eclipse’s “path of totality” will then pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the northeastern tip of Portugal.
In Spain, the path will stretch roughly from the northern city of Oviedo to the island of Mallorca.
The eclipse will also pass over parts of Spain that have been devastated by wildfires.
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- 12 Aug 2026, 09:21:34 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Do you need protection before seeing the eclipse?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: It is important not to look directly at the Sun during an eclipse, as doing so can cause serious eye damage.
Experts recommend using specially designed eclipse glasses that filter UV rays and meet the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard, news agency AFP reported.
The eyes do not have pain receptors that can alert the brain to injury, meaning damage may only become apparent later.
Research has shown that following a total solar eclipse in the United States in 2024, searches for "my eyes hurt" on Google surged.
- 12 Aug 2026, 09:13:40 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: Where will the solar eclipse be visible?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: On August 12, the total eclipse will first be visible from a remote area in northern Russia.
The “path of totality”, as it is known, will then pass over Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the northeastern tip of Portugal.
In Spain, the path will broadly stretch from the northern city of Oviedo to the island of Mallorca.
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- 12 Aug 2026, 09:10:43 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: When will solar eclipse take place in India?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: It is expected to begin at around 9:04 pm IST and end at 1:27 am on August 13, with the eclipse reaching its peak at 11:16 pm.
Since it will take place at night in India, it will not be visible from the country.
- 12 Aug 2026, 09:05:02 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: What is an eclipse?
Solar eclipse 2026 LIVE: An eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight and casting a narrow shadow over parts of our planet.
During a total solar eclipse, daylight can briefly turn into twilight. Temperatures may fall, shadows can take on unusual shapes and some animals may behave as if night has arrived.
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- 12 Aug 2026, 08:57:38 AM IST
Solar eclipse 2026 live updates: Total solar eclipse to take place today
Solar eclipse 2026 live updates: Daylight will briefly give way to darkness on Wednesday as the Moon will completely cover the Sun, causing a rare total solar eclipse.
The eclipse will be seen either partially or in totality from several regions, including Europe, Greenland, Iceland, northwestern Africa and parts of the United States.