Overview
- The Moon will cover roughly 80–90% of the Sun over Germany on 12 August 2026, with the partial eclipse visible low on the western horizon between about 19:10 and 20:45 local time.
- A narrow path of totality crosses northern Siberia, the Arctic, east Greenland, western Iceland and reaches northern Spain and the Balearic Islands, with Mallorca experiencing about two minutes and 18 seconds of totality shortly before sunset.
- Health authorities including the Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz and ophthalmologists stress that only certified eclipse glasses meeting DIN EN ISO 12312-2:2015 (optical density ≈5) or indirect methods such as a pinhole projector reliably block harmful light.
- Telescopes, binoculars and cameras require front-mounted certified solar filters and must never be used with ordinary sunglasses or improvised darkened materials because concentrated sunlight can cause irreversible retinal burns.
- Broadcasters and astronomy institutions are preparing live transmissions, public events and distribution of safety guidance and glasses, while the eclipse’s coincidence with the Perseid meteor peak and the long gap until Germany’s next totality in 2081 are driving strong public interest.