MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Starting over Russia’s remote northern regions at around 17:00 GMT, a total solar eclipse traveled across the Russian Arctic before moving into the North Atlantic and continuing toward Europe, according to Roscosmos. The Moon’s shadow first crossed Greenland and Iceland, then reached Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. The narrow corridor of totality was the only area where the eclipse was fully visible, while adjacent regions across Europe, North America, and Africa experienced a partial eclipse.
NASA estimated the peak of the eclipse at 17:45:53.8 UTC over the North Atlantic. The period of totality in that region lasted approximately two minutes and 18 seconds. At the point of greatest eclipse, the path of totality stretched roughly 294 kilometers wide. During totality, the Moon entirely obscured the Sun’s bright disk, allowing the solar corona to become visible. The corona, which is the Sun’s outer atmosphere, appears when the Moon blocks the photosphere. Outside the umbra, observers saw only a partial covering of the Sun.
Initially, the totality was observed in northern Russia as the lunar shadow entered the Arctic zone, then continued across the Arctic Ocean and eastern Greenland before reaching western Iceland. The path included Reykjavík and extended southward across the North Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula. In northern Spain, the total eclipse was visible late in the day, and a small region of northeastern Portugal also fell within the totality corridor. The majority of Europe, along with northwestern Africa and parts of North America, experienced partial phases of the eclipse.
Moon’s shadow traverses Arctic and Atlantic regions
The final land phase of totality passed over northern Spain, where crowds gathered in cities, towns, and rural viewing spots across the northern and central parts of the country. This event marked Spain’s first total solar eclipse in over a century. In many locations, the Moon completely covered the Sun just before sunset, with the Sun’s low position near the western horizon giving the darkened Sun a close proximity to the horizon. This timing made Spain one of the last major viewing areas along the eclipse path.
Viewing conditions varied significantly along the route. In Reykjavík, much of the totality period was obscured by clouds, limiting direct visibility from the Icelandic capital. Some parts of western Iceland experienced clearer skies. Similarly, many Spanish locations saw clearer skies as sunset approached, allowing observers to witness the Moon fully covering the solar disk during the brief central phase. The partial phases lasted longer than totality, as the Moon covered only part of the Sun before and after totality. Larger surrounding regions remained outside the totality corridor.
Spain witnesses total eclipse near sunset
The partial eclipse zone saw the Moon covering varying portions of the Sun depending on the viewer’s location. Most of Canada and extensive parts of Europe experienced a partial eclipse, with some northern U.S. regions also within the broader visibility zone. Northwestern Africa also observed a partial view. During partial phases, viewers outside the totality corridor were required to use certified solar filters for safe direct viewing. Eye protection could only be removed during the brief totality, resuming immediately afterward when direct sunlight returned.
The land phase of the eclipse in Europe concluded as the Moon’s shadow crossed the Iberian Peninsula near sunset, connecting remote Arctic territory with Greenland, Iceland, and southwestern Europe along a continuous path. Regions such as northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal lay within the totality corridor. Larger areas across three continents experienced only the partial eclipse. This event on August 12 followed the April 8, 2024, total eclipse across North America, with the 2026 path mainly centered on the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.