A solar eclipse will occur today (Wednesday, August 12), with only certain areas of the United States able to witness it. The total eclipse will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain, and parts of Portugal. In the U.S., residents in parts of the Northeast, Midwest, and Alaska will see at least a partial eclipse as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun.
The eclipse will start at 11:34 a.m. Eastern and reach its peak at approximately 1:46 p.m. Eastern. According to Al Jazeera, this eclipse marks mainland Europe’s first total solar eclipse since 1999, with about 15 million people in Spain living in the path of totality.
A partial eclipse will be visible across much of Western Europe, parts of Northwestern Africa, and a small portion of the United States. In the U.S., parts of Alaska will experience the deepest eclipse at about 37 percent, while the rest of the country will see a smaller portion of the sun covered. For example, northeastern Maine will see about 28 percent coverage, while New York will see almost nothing.
Safety is paramount during any solar eclipse. The National Solar Observatory advises that looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse. Special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses, should be used to view the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun.
The next total solar eclipse will occur on August 2, 2027, crossing southern Spain, North Africa, and Yemen, as reported by Time and Date.
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