The Solar Eclipse Is Happening Today — Here’s What Millions of People Should Know Before Looking Up
The Solar Eclipse Is Happening Today — Here’s What Millions of People Should Know Before Looking Up
For a few minutes, the daylight will begin to change.
The Sun will slowly disappear behind the Moon, shadows may look unusual, the sky can become noticeably darker, and people across parts of the Northern Hemisphere will turn their attention upward.
Today, August 12, 2026, a major solar eclipse is crossing the sky. A total solar eclipse will pass through Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, a small part of Portugal and northern Russia, while a partial solar eclipse will be visible from parts of the United States, Canada, Europe and northwestern Africa.
And that’s what makes today’s event especially interesting for skywatchers in the U.S.
Why is everyone talking about the eclipse?
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between Earth and the Sun and blocks some or all of the Sun’s light from reaching certain areas on Earth.
During a total solar eclipse, the Moon can completely cover the bright face of the Sun for observers inside the narrow path of totality.
But most people in the United States won’t see totality today.
Instead, parts of the U.S. will experience a partial solar eclipse, meaning the Moon will cover only part of the Sun from that location. NASA says the partial eclipse will be visible across portions of the country, extending from Alaska toward areas as far east as North Carolina.
