Total Solar Eclipse to Sweep Across Northern Hemisphere on August 12
10 sources across 6 countries
Who reported this
- Der Spiegel
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- France 24
- Next.ink
- The Guardian
- Reuters
- La Nacion
- Folha de S.Paulo
- El Pais
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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A total solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, marking the first such event visible from continental Europe in nearly 30 years. The path of totality, where the moon completely blocks the sun, will traverse the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic, and parts of northern Russia, northern Spain, and northwestern Portugal. In these regions, the period of totality will last approximately two minutes, though some areas in Greenland and Russia may experience up to two and a half minutes. Millions of people in North America, Northwest Africa, and the rest of Europe will witness a partial eclipse. In France and Germany, the sun will be obscured by approximately 80 to 99 percent in some regions, with the maximum occultation occurring in the late afternoon or evening.
Health experts and astronomical societies warn that protective eyewear meeting the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard is essential for viewing the partial phases to avoid permanent retinal damage. While some astrophysicists state it is safe to remove glasses during the 100 percent totality phase to view the solar corona, medical professionals advise caution, noting that pupils are dilated during this time and the return of sunlight can be dangerous. High demand for these glasses has led to shortages at some retailers in Belgium and Germany.
Scientific organizations are utilizing the event for research. NASA plans to use a specialized aircraft to follow the moon's shadow from Iceland to extend the duration of totality for high-resolution imaging of the solar corona. Additionally, research balloons will be launched in Iceland to study the Earth's atmospheric boundary layer, and space-based observatories like Solar Orbiter and Soho will capture data from different angles.
The event coincides with severe weather conditions in Europe. In Spain, authorities have warned that the influx of hundreds of thousands of tourists, combined with record drought and heat, has significantly increased the risk of devastating wildfires. Some natural parks in the Valencia region have been closed as a precaution. In Great Britain, the energy supplier Octopus Energy has urged households to reduce electricity use between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to compensate for the loss of solar power generation during a concurrent heatwave.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasized the environmental risks, such as wildfires and energy grid instability, alongside the scientific research opportunities.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the technical details of the eclipse, safety guidelines for viewers, and the general scientific nature of the event.
- Centre-right
- These outlets highlighted the logistical details of the event, including travel paths and the specific geographic locations of visibility.
Sources
- Centre-left Der Spiegel: Solar eclipse: This is how researchers want to fathom the mysteries of the sun on Wednesday
- Centre-left El Pais: Can I take off my glasses when the eclipse is total? This is the safe way to do it
- Centre-left El Pais: The weather for the week of the eclipse: intense heat and storms in the afternoon in the east
- Centre Folha de S.Paulo: Solar eclipse this Wednesday (12) will have 2 minutes of totality; get your questions answered
- Centre France 24: Solar eclipse: a rare phenomenon expected in Europe
- Centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine: Spectacle in the sky: Where the solar eclipse can be best observed
- Centre-right La Nacion: Total Solar Eclipse 2026, in detail: what time it starts and from where it is seen this Wednesday, August 12
- Centre Next.ink: Solar eclipse of August 12: everything you need to know, especially for the eyes
- Centre Reuters: Italian scientists ready new solar instrument for high-stakes eclipse test - Reuters
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Natural spectacle: Come, let us watch Sofi
- Centre-left The Guardian: Octopus Energy urges millions of households to use less electricity during solar eclipse
- Centre-left The Guardian: People flocking to Spain to view solar eclipse could spark more ‘devastating’ wildfires
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.