On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, one of the year's main astronomical events will take place — a total solar eclipse. In a narrow band that will pass through the Arctic and parts of Europe, the Moon will completely cover the Sun, briefly turning day into twilight. There will be no total phase in Ukraine, but a partial eclipse will be visible in the western and some central regions. Residents of Zakarpattia and Lviv regions will be the luckiest, UNN reports.
Details
The August 12 eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since the event of August 11, 1999. According to calculations by Timeanddate, about 15.2 million people live directly within the path of totality, while approximately 980 million people on Earth could potentially see at least a partial eclipse.
During the total phase, the Moon completely covers the bright disk of the Sun. It is during these brief minutes that the outer atmosphere of our star — the solar corona — becomes visible. The sky darkens, sunset colors appear on the horizon, and bright planets and stars become visible even during the day.
Where the path of the total solar eclipse will pass
According to NASA, the path of totality on August 12 will pass through the northern regions of Russia, the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic, Spain, and a small area in the far northwest of Portugal. In Spain, the path of totality will include, among others, areas of Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country, Aragon, Valencia, as well as the Balearic Islands.
The width of the path of totality near the point of greatest eclipse will be approximately 294 km. The maximum duration of totality will reach 2 minutes and 18.2 seconds. The point of greatest eclipse is located over the North Atlantic, approximately at the latitude of Iceland. According to NASA/GSFC calculations, the global maximum will occur at 17:45:54 UTC, or approximately 20:45:54 Kyiv time.
It should be noted that this solar eclipse has special historical significance for the people of Iceland. The last time this astronomical phenomenon was observed in the country was in 1954, while a total solar eclipse has not been seen in Reykjavík since 1433. In Iceland's capital, the partial phase will begin at around 16:47 local time, and totality at approximately 17:48. This is around 20:48 Kyiv time. The total phase in central Reykjavík will last about one minute.
In Spain, the total eclipse will occur in the evening. For example, in Zaragoza, totality will begin at around 20:29 local time, and in Valencia at around 20:32. Since Spain observes Central European Summer Time in August, this corresponds to approximately 21:29 and 21:32 in Ukraine, respectively. The Sun will be very low above the western horizon. In some areas, it will set before all the partial phases of the eclipse have ended.
Why the eclipse passes through the Arctic
A solar eclipse is possible only near the "new moon," when the Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun. However, we observe a "new moon" every month, while eclipses do not occur every month. The reason is that the Moon's orbit is tilted by approximately 5 degrees relative to the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
During most new-moon phases, the Moon passes slightly above or below the visible disk of the Sun. For an eclipse to occur, the new moon must take place near one of the two nodes of the Moon's orbit — the points where it intersects the plane of the ecliptic.
On August 12, the necessary geometry will align so that the cone of the Moon's umbral shadow will touch Earth at high northern latitudes. Due to the Moon's movement along its orbit, Earth's rotation, and the curvature of Earth's surface, this shadow will follow a complex arc across the Arctic and the North Atlantic toward Europe.
What will be visible in Ukraine
Ukraine will not fall within the path of totality. The eclipse will be partial and will be seen mainly by residents of western and parts of central Ukraine. The farther east and south one goes, the less of the Sun the Moon will manage to cover before sunset.
According to calculations by Timeanddate, the best viewing conditions among Ukraine's major cities will be in Uzhhorod. There, the eclipse will begin at approximately 20:19, with the most visible phase occurring at around 20:47. The Moon will cover approximately 43.47% of the solar disk.
In Lviv, the eclipse will begin at around 20:17. The maximum is expected at 20:43, when about 40.47% of the Sun’s area will be covered.
In Rivne, the maximum visible phase is expected at approximately 20:37, with about 30.61% of the Sun’s area covered. In Ivano-Frankivsk, the maximum will occur at around 20:38, with about 27.72% coverage; in Ternopil, at approximately 20:36, when the Moon will cover about 26.44% of the solar disk.
The eclipse will be somewhat less pronounced in Chernivtsi—about 15.04% of the solar disk’s area—and in Khmelnytskyi—about 16.36%. In Vinnytsia, the Moon will cover approximately 6.88% of the Sun.
In Kyiv, the phenomenon will be very brief and barely noticeable. The partial phase for the capital will begin at approximately 20:14, the maximum will occur at around 20:18, and the Sun will set as early as approximately 20:23. At most, the Moon will cover only about 2.69% of the solar disk’s area. Therefore, without special equipment and a clear, unobstructed horizon, it will be difficult to notice the eclipse.
In a significant part of the country’s east, the Sun will set before the eclipse begins. For example, for Kharkiv, Timeanddate does not list the August 12 eclipse among visible events. It will also not be visible in Odesa itself, although a brief partial phase may be possible in some parts of Odesa Oblast.
For those wishing to observe this astronomical phenomenon in Ukraine, the key condition will not be merely cloudless skies. The Sun will be very low, so a completely unobstructed western or northwestern horizon, free of buildings, trees, or hills, will be needed.
Why “phase” and the percentage of the Sun covered should not be confused
Two different indicators are often used when describing eclipses. The first is magnitude, or the eclipse magnitude, which shows what fraction of the Sun’s diameter is obscured by the Moon. The second is obscuration, meaning the share of the solar disk’s area that is actually covered. These figures are not the same. For example, an eclipse magnitude of 0.4 does not automatically mean that exactly 40% of the Sun’s area is covered.
How to watch the eclipse safely
In Ukraine, the eclipse will be only partial. This means there will be no moment at all when it would be safe to look at the Sun with the naked eye.
NASA emphasizes that even if only a small bright crescent remains of the Sun, looking at it without special protection is dangerous. Such observation can cause serious and potentially irreversible damage to the retina. It can occur without immediate pain, so a person may not realize right away that they have injured their eyes.
Special-purpose eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that comply with the international ISO 12312-2 standard are required for direct observation. Ordinary sunglasses are not suitable, regardless of how dark the lenses are. X-ray film, compact discs, smoked glass, or homemade light filters must not be used either.
Telescopes, binoculars, and telephoto lenses are especially dangerous. Without a special solar filter installed in front of the lens, they concentrate radiation and can instantly injure the eye. Eclipse glasses must not simply be put on before looking through binoculars or a telescope: the concentrated light can damage the filter itself.
A safe alternative is indirect observation. The simplest option is a pinhole projector: a small hole in a piece of cardboard projects an image of the Sun onto another surface. A kitchen colander or gaps between tree leaves create a similar effect—during a partial eclipse, small crescents appear on the ground instead of round patches of sunlight.
An eclipse and the Perseids on the same night
August 12, 2026, will be unusual not only because of the eclipse. A “new moon” will also occur that day, and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower is expected on the night of August 12–13.
The absence of bright moonlight will create particularly favorable conditions for observing meteors. If the weather is clear, in western Ukraine it will be possible to first see the partial solar eclipse near the horizon in the evening, and after darkness falls, turn to observing the Perseids. NASA calls the night of August 12–13 one of the month’s main opportunities for skywatching.
What solar eclipses will come next
The next total solar eclipse will occur as soon as August 2, 2027. The path of totality will pass through southern Spain and North Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, and then across the Arabian Peninsula. In the vicinity of Egypt, the duration of totality will reach approximately 6 minutes and 23 seconds, making it one of the longest total eclipses of the 21st century. In Ukraine, this eclipse will once again be partial.
The event on June 1, 2030, will be even more interesting for Ukraine. An annular solar eclipse will occur then, during which the Moon’s apparent diameter will be slightly smaller than the Sun’s, leaving a bright "ring of fire" around the dark lunar disk.
The path of annularity will indeed pass through Ukrainian territory, but not through all the southern and eastern regions, as is sometimes stated. In particular, annularity will be visible in Crimea and in certain areas of the eastern regions, while in Kyiv, Dnipro, and most other cities, the eclipse will remain partial. NASA/GSFC confirms that the central path will pass through this region, while Timeanddate identifies June 1, 2030, as the nearest annular eclipse visible from Ukrainian territory.
Let us remind you
The partial solar eclipse on August 12 will temporarily reduce electricity generation in Europe. No power supply disruptions are expected, as the eclipse will occur after the peak of generation.