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Total Solar Eclipse to Sweep Across Europe on August 12

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

15 sources across 10 countries

Who reported this

  • The Guardian United Kingdom · Centre-left · Scott Trust Limited
  • The Independent United Kingdom · Centre-left · Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel and Evgeny Lebedev
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation
  • Sky News United Kingdom · Centre · Comcast
  • elDiarioAR Argentina · Centre-left · Newsroom-majority owned, membership funded
  • Infobae Argentina · Centre-right · Daniel Hadad
  • La Nacion Argentina · Centre-right · Saguier family
  • Folha de S.Paulo Brazil · Centre · Grupo Folha (Frias family)
  • France 24 France · Centre · Public · France Medias Monde (French state holding)
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine Germany · Centre-right · FAZIT-Stiftung (foundation)
  • Telex Hungary · Centre · Reader-funded, staff-owned
  • The Indian Express India · Centre · Indian Express Group (Goenka family)
  • ANSA Italy · Centre · Publisher cooperative
  • Aftenposten Norway · Centre-right · Schibsted, Tinius Trust foundation
  • El Pais Spain · Centre-left · Grupo PRISA

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 northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small portion of Portugal. In these regions, the moon will completely block the sun for a duration of up to two minutes and 18 seconds. Millions of other people across the Northern Hemisphere, including those in Canada, the northern United States, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa, will witness a partial eclipse. The event will not be visible from India or Mexico.

Health agencies and astronomers are warning the public to use certified protective eyewear to avoid permanent retinal damage. Experts specify that glasses must meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Ordinary sunglasses are insufficient for protection. For those without certified glasses, indirect viewing methods such as pinhole projectors or observing shadows cast by leaves are recommended. In the United Kingdom, the eclipse will be partial, with up to 96 percent coverage, marking the most complete eclipse seen in the country since 1999.

In Spain, the event is being treated as a major tourist draw, with the government expecting nearly 450,000 additional visitors. Authorities have mobilized over 33,000 security personnel to manage traffic and mitigate extreme forest fire risks. In France, the city of Biarritz expects up to 99.5 percent coverage, though some retailers report that protective glasses have gone out of stock. In Italy, the eclipse will be partial, with the highest coverage reaching 98 percent in Sardinia.

Photography experts advise using filters with infrared and ultraviolet blocking to protect both the viewer and camera sensors. The only safe time to remove filters is during the brief phase of total darkness. In Germany, the partial eclipse will be most visible in the southwest, where up to 90 percent of the sun will be covered.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
These outlets emphasized public health warnings and the historical significance of the event for the UK.
Centre
These outlets focused on the logistical details, global visibility, and safety warnings.
Centre-right
These outlets highlighted the economic impact of tourism, security concerns in Spain, and the specific lack of visibility in Mexico.

Sources

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