Overview
- The solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 will pass over parts of Europe with totality in northern Spain, northwest Portugal and Iceland while much of the Netherlands and Belgium will see about 90 percent of the Sun obscured, with Utrecht’s partial phase running roughly 19:16–21:03 and a maximum near 20:11.
- Officials and experts warn that ordinary sunglasses, CDs, water reflections and unfiltered binoculars or telescopes are unsafe and advise using certified eclipse glasses or properly fitted solar filters to avoid permanent eye damage.
- Visibility will depend heavily on local weather and a clear western horizon because the Sun sits low—about 8 degrees above the horizon at maximum—so observers are urged to go to open locations such as beaches, open countryside or observatory sites to avoid trees, buildings or low coastal clouds blocking the view.
- NASA and ESA will deploy coordinated observations, including high-altitude balloon launches in Iceland and Spain and radio monitoring by LOFAR/ASTRON, to study the solar atmosphere and the eclipse’s effects on Earth’s upper air.
- The Perseids meteor shower peaks the night of 12–13 August and could produce roughly 50–65 meteors per hour under dark, clear skies, and experts say the eclipse will cause a brief dimming, modest cooling and noticeable animal behavioral changes while a similar large partial eclipse for the Netherlands will not recur for decades.