On August 12, 2026, a rare spectacle begins around 5:30 p.m. in Germany: the moon slides in front of the sun. Around 6:30 p.m., the coverage peaks. In the southwest, along Lake Constance and around Freiburg, up to 89 percent of the solar disk will be obscured. In Berlin, it will be roughly 84 percent. The sky noticeably darkens, the air cools. But it will not be a total solar eclipse. To experience that, travel is required.
What happens on August 12 and where
The moon's umbra sweeps across the globe on Tuesday, from Greenland and Iceland over the North Atlantic toward northern Spain. In Reykjavik, totality lasts just under one minute. On Mallorca, it lasts roughly one minute and 36 seconds. On mainland Spain, it will be the first total solar eclipse visible since 1905.
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will experience a partial eclipse. But a remarkably deep one: 89 percent coverage means only a thin crescent of the sun remains visible. Brightness drops noticeably, reddened in the west by the low sun. Croatia and the northern Adriatic, where many summer tourists are, lie in a similar coverage zone as southern Germany.
Timing in Germany: first contact of the moon's shadow around 5:30 p.m. local time, maximum coverage about 6:30 p.m., eclipse end shortly before sunset. Those with an unobstructed western view will experience the spectacle in its most dramatic light.
An unsolved scientific mystery
For researchers, the eclipse is a rare window of opportunity. The central goal of ESA and NASA: the solar corona. Normally, sunlight overwhelms the hot gas envelope so completely that even modern telescopes barely observe it. A total solar eclipse extinguishes this scattered light for minutes.
What scientists investigate is a physical anomaly: the sun's surface has a temperature of about 6,000 degrees Celsius. The corona above it reaches temperatures of several million degrees. Why gas farther from the heat source should be hotter than gas closer violates basic physics. This corona heating problem has remained unsolved for decades.
NASA sends a specially equipped aircraft that chases the moon's shadow at roughly 2,500 kilometers per hour to extend observation time. The onboard camera takes 20 high-resolution corona images per second. Simultaneously, the ESA satellite Solar Orbiter observes from an angle roughly 90 degrees removed from Earth's perspective. Combined with Earth observation, this creates stereoscopic, three-dimensional images of corona structures, a method not previously possible.
ESA project scientist Daniel Müller describes the value of this rare opportunity: a total solar eclipse is one of those moments when millions of people simultaneously look skyward, combining wonder with curiosity. The scientific hope is concrete: better corona models could improve solar storm and space weather forecasts, enhancing protection for satellites, power grids, and communications infrastructure.
How to observe it safely
To follow the eclipse with the naked eye, you need certified protective glasses. The relevant standard is ISO 12312-2 combined with CE certification. Everyday materials do not provide adequate protection: aluminum foil, CDs, emergency blankets, or standard sunglasses can cause severe retinal damage or blindness, even when they seem to dim the light. Certified glasses are available at pharmacies and optical shops.
Smartphones and cameras are equally at risk without appropriate filters. NASA explicitly warns about the risk of damaged camera sensors from direct photography without filters. To photograph, you need filter film in front of the lens.
Total eclipse: reachable only by travelers
Those wanting to experience totality must act within the next two days. Mallorca and the Spanish north coast lie in the shadow's path. Iceland's capital Reykjavik as well, though with a shorter totality phase.
For everyone else in central Europe: 84 to 89 percent coverage exceeds what ordinary sky observation offers. The moon slides so far in front of the sun that twilight arrives noticeably earlier than the calendar suggests. Those with certified protective glasses and clear skies will experience an event last visible in Spain over 120 years ago and rarely seen in central Europe this deep during evening hours.