The ultimate guide to when and where to photograph the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, in Western Europe
(Image credit: Alan Dyer / Stocktrek Images / Alamy)
When is the next total solar eclipse? If you missed the last one on April 8 in North America, or it gave you the bug, and you want to see another, it’s time to start planning for mainland Europe’s first total solar eclipse since 1999.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will bring a relatively short totality to four regions and nations: Siberia in Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, and northern Spain. As the 5,133 miles (8,260 km) long, up to 182 miles (293 kilometers) wide path of totality – the shadow of the moon – races across Earth, some photogenic landscapes will plunge into a twilight like no other. Add some seasonal treats, including the Milky Way at its brightest, the peak of a. Major meteor shower and the chance of seeing the aurora borealis, and this could be an extraordinary total solar eclipse trip.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan a trip to photograph the next total solar eclipse…
Total solar eclipse 2026: path of totality
The global path of the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026 passes over parts of Iceland, Portugal and Spain (Image credit: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier)
On August 12, 2026, the moon’s shadow will take an hour and 96 minutes to cross the planet, but from any one location the maximum length of totality will be 2 minutes 18 seconds.
That point of greatest eclipse will be off the coast of Iceland, so unless you’re on a cruise ship in that location—which will likely be possible—you’ll have to make do with less than that. Wherever you are, the maximum totality can be experienced if you’re on the centreline of the path of totality. The duration will taper off at the edges.
The critical aspect of this eclipse to understand is the sun’s position. Unlike the “Great North American Eclipse” on April 8, totality (from regions most likely to be visited by eclipse-chasers) will occur in the afternoon and reasonably low in the sky—never higher than 26 degrees above the horizon, and in many places, a lot lower than that.
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Total solar eclipse 2026: Climate
The Spanish island of Mallorca will have the best chance of clear skies during the 2026 eclipse - but the sun will be low in the sky which doesn't help your odds for a clear view (Image credit: Getty Images)
There are nuances, but the climate in August is most conducive to clear skies in inland Spain and towards the Mediterranean. According toEclipsophile, the best chance of clear skies will be on Mallorca and the other Balearic islands. However, the sun will be totally eclipsed from these locations just before sunset. This is a potential problem because, in partly cloudy skies, you want the eclipse to be directly above you, in a gap—and not on the horizon, where you could be looking through many clouds.
Totality will occur much higher in the sky, as seen from Iceland and Greenland, but the chance of a clear sky is far less there. However, there are exceptions, such as Scorebsy Sound in Greenland, due north of Reykjavik, which tends to have clearer weather.
A rare chance to photograph the “golden corona” of a “horizon proximity” total solar eclipse or an eclipsed sun with icebergs and mountains in the foreground? Both opportunities come with risks. That’s eclipse-chasing!
Total solar eclipse 2026: aurora, meteor showers and the Milky Way
If you head to Iceland or Greenland for the eclipse, you will also have a decent chance of photographing the Northern Lights on the same trip (Image credit: Getty Images)
When you’re thinking about photographing a total solar eclipse, all you usually need to concentrate on is the eclipse itself. Photographers are naturally drawn to beautiful landscapes, of course, but on August 12, 2026, there may be other astronomical events to consider.
If you choose to go to Greenland or Iceland, the nights are relatively short during August. However, they are long enough to make some views of the aurora borealis possible. Although it is tempting to suggest that the northern lights may appear during totality itself, it’s likely that a week spent near the Arctic Circle will give visitors at least a good chance of seeing them during the night.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak on the night of 2026’s total solar eclipse. (Image credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Getty Images)
Alternatively, you could head to Spain, where the eclipse coincides with the peak night of the annual Perseids meteor shower. This annual display of up to 150 “shooting stars” per hour at its peak is more impressive at lower latitudes, with Spain perfectly placed. However, you’ll want to be away from any light pollution. Use thisinteractive Google Map of the path of totality and overlay the “night sky brightness” layer to find regions free from light pollution, which could be ideal for a two-pronged astrophotography trip.
There are hundreds of places where you can take a camera and create beautiful images of this total solar eclipse, from the ice cap of Greenland and the dramatic landscapes of Iceland to Spain’s northern coast, castles, and islands. Here’s just a sample of the possible locations – but do triple-check the sight lines to the eclipse from all locations:
Scoresby Sund, Greenland: totality 24 degrees above west-southwest at 4:34 p.m. CGST for 1 minute 45 seconds, with the chance, later, of the aurora borealis.
Reykenes Peninsula, Iceland: totality 25 degrees above west-southwest at 5:48 p.m. GMT for 1 minute 32 seconds, with the chance of a volcano and, later, the aurora borealis.
Grótta Island Lighthouse, Reykjavik, Iceland: totality 25 degrees above west-southwest at 5:48 p.m. GMT for 1 minute 4 seconds, with the chance, later, of the aurora borealis.
Zaragoza and its magnificent cathedral is just one of a number of photogenic Spanish cities that will see totality (Image credit: Getty Images)
Zaragoza, Spain: totality six degrees above west at 8:28 p.m. CEST for 1 minute 23 seconds, with a partially eclipsed sunset soon after (something only possible from eastern Spain) and, later, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
Malvarrosa Beach, Valencia, Spain: totality 4.5 degrees above west at 8:32 p.m. CEST for 1 minute 2 seconds from a major city, with a partially eclipsed sunset ) and, later, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. .
Mirador de la Trapa, Mallorca, Spain: totality at 3 degrees above west at 8:31 p.m. CEST for 1 minute 36 seconds, with a ‘horizon proximity’ totality and, later, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
Jamie Carter is the author of “When Is The Next Eclipse? A Traveler’s Guide To Total Solar Eclipses 2026-2034,”available on Amazon.
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Jamie has been writing about all aspects of technology for over 14 years, producing content for sites like TechRadar, T3, Forbes, Mashable, MSN, South China Morning Post, and BBC Wildlife, BBC Focus and BBC Sky At Night magazines.
As the editor for www.WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com, he has a wealth of enthusiasm and expertise for all things astrophotography, from capturing the Perseid Meteor Shower, lunar eclipses and ring of fire eclipses, photographing the moon and blood moon and more.
He also brings a great deal of knowledge on action cameras, 360 cameras, AI cameras, camera backpacks, telescopes, gimbals, tripods and all manner of photography equipment.
