Overview
- The Moon’s shadow will sweep a narrow path of totality from the Arctic across Iceland and northern/central Spain into the western Mediterranean on 12 August 2026, with the global centre of totality near 19:46 MESZ.
- Germany lies outside the umbra and will see a strong partial eclipse that begins regionally around 19:11–19:24 and peaks roughly between 20:05 and 20:17, often coinciding with local sunset and a Sun only a few degrees above the western horizon.
- Officials and eye experts warn that direct viewing without a certified solar filter risks permanent retinal damage and recommend DIN EN ISO 12312-2:2015 / CE‑marked eclipse glasses or indirect projection methods for safe observation.
- Certified eclipse glasses are in short supply two days before the event, with authorities distributing about two million pairs and optician chains, planetariums and observatories identified as the likeliest last‑minute sources; major broadcasters and ESA plan live streams for viewers who cannot reach totality zones.
- Scientists will chase the shadow with a NASA high‑altitude aircraft and launch balloons from Iceland to extend corona imaging and measure rapid atmospheric cooling, while Spain prepares for a large tourism influx with many hotels booked and economic estimates in the hundreds of millions of euros.