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Millions Prepare for Total Solar Eclipse Across Europe and North America

morning · · thread: Total Solar Eclipse to Sweep Across Spain, Iceland, and Greenland on August 12

14 sources across 11 countries

Who reported this

  • Infobae Argentina · Centre-right · Daniel Hadad
  • La Nacion Argentina · Centre-right · Saguier family
  • Le Monde France · Centre-left · Fonds pour l'independance de la presse
  • France 24 France · Centre · Public · France Medias Monde (French state holding)
  • The Guardian United Kingdom · Centre-left · Scott Trust Limited
  • BBC News United Kingdom · Centre · Public · Licence fee, royal charter
  • G1 Brazil · Centre-left · Grupo Globo (Marinho family)
  • La Tercera Chile · Centre-right · Copesa (Saieh family)
  • El Espectador Colombia · Centre-left · Grupo Santo Domingo
  • Sueddeutsche Zeitung Germany · Centre-left · Sudwestdeutsche Medien Holding
  • Tempo English Indonesia · Centre-left · PT Tempo Inti Media
  • NRC Netherlands · Centre · Mediahuis
  • El Pais Spain · Centre-left · Grupo PRISA
  • CNN United States · Centre-left · Warner Bros. Discovery

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.

Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.

The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.

A total solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with the path of totality crossing Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain, and a small portion of Portugal. In Spain, the event is particularly significant as it is the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula since 1912. The period of totality, where the sun is completely obscured, will last between one and two minutes and 18 seconds depending on the location. In Spain, this phenomenon will occur shortly before sunset, creating a rare visual effect.

While the total eclipse is limited to a narrow band, a partial eclipse will be visible to millions more. This includes much of Europe, northwestern Africa, and North America. In the United Kingdom, up to 96 percent of the sun will be covered, marking the deepest eclipse for the region since 1999. In the United States, a partial eclipse will be visible across 26 states and Alaska, with the deepest coverage in northern Maine at 28 percent. Canada will also see a partial eclipse, with Nunavut experiencing up to 61 percent obscuration. The event will not be visible in South America.

Spain is expecting a massive influx of tourists, with estimates ranging from 460,000 to 6 million people flocking to the path of totality. The Spanish government has coordinated the event through a multi министерство commission and designated the Yebes Observatory as the official monitoring site. Authorities have deployed over 24,000 police officers to manage traffic and safety, especially given forecasts of intense heat up to 40 degrees Celsius and a high risk of wildfires.

Astronomers and space agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency, emphasize the importance of using ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses to prevent permanent eye damage. For those outside the path of visibility, NASA and other institutions will provide live streams of the event. Following the eclipse, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak overnight into Thursday, August 13.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
These outlets focused on the scientific details, safety precautions, and the logistical scale of the event in Spain.
Centre
These outlets highlighted the personal excitement of tourists and the general fascination with the phenomenon.
Centre-right
These outlets emphasized the strategic importance of Spain as a global astronomical hub and the government's organizational efforts.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.