Nicola Davis and Oliver Holmes
A wide band of north and central Spain, plus a sliver of Portugal and parts of Greenland and Iceland will experience a rare total eclipse.
The light of the setting sun will be virtually blocked out across much of western Europe, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy.
This total eclipse will be the first in mainland Europe in two decades.
The last event of this kind visible from the UK occurred in 1999, when parts of Devon and Cornwall were in the path of totality.
The next total solar eclipse visible in the UK is not due to occur until 2090.
The online forums are abuzz as people debate potential cloud cover and trade tips on the best viewing points. Hours before wide swathes of Spain were set to experience the country’s first total solar eclipse in more than a century, the excitement was palpable.
“It’s going to be spectacular,” said César González, an astronomer and science communicator at the Madrid Planetarium. “A total solar eclipse is one of the best spectacles in nature.”
Officials have estimated that as many as 6 million people could flock to the eclipse path on Wednesday, which stretches about 200km from A Coruña in Spain’s northwest to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. A small strip of Portugal and parts of Greenland and Iceland will also experience the rare total eclipse.
Tens of millions more will be watching across western Europe, with the path of the eclipse virtually blocking out the sun in many countries including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy.
Got your eclipse glasses at the ready?
Do not fret if not. Not everyone is prepared like this guy.
We’ve got you covered.
Welcome to the live coverage of today’s total eclipse, which will be seen in parts of Europe, including Iceland, the UK, and Spain.
Over the coming hours, we’ll bring you:
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Tips on how to view the phenomenon safely
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First-hand reports from places where crowds are gathering
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A quick look at the science behind the shadow
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The best pictures and videos from key viewing spots
And yes, there will be a live stream, too.
It’s Wednesday, 12 August 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good afternoon.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theguardian.com
