Total solar eclipse 2026: Where, when and how to watch on Wednesday?

What the report says

Millions of people in Europe, and many more across parts of North America and Northwest Africa, are set to see a total or partial solar eclipse on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera. The eclipse begins at 15:34 GMT and moves from the Arctic toward Europe, with the path of totality crossing northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small part of Portugal. Al Jazeera says about 15 million people will be in the zone of total darkness, while nearly one in eight people worldwide may see at least part of the sun covered, depending on weather.

The eclipse’s maximum phase is expected at about 17:46 GMT, with totality lasting roughly two minutes and 18 seconds near the center of the path. Al Jazeera reports that Spain will be among the best places to view it, with cities such as Leon, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia inside the totality band. Madrid and Barcelona are just outside that zone but should still experience more than 99 percent coverage. In Europe’s major cities farther east, the sun may set before the eclipse reaches its peak.

The article also explains that a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, briefly blocking sunlight and, during totality, revealing the sun’s corona. It stresses eye safety: certified eclipse glasses or a solar viewer are needed except during the brief moment of totality. NASA is scheduled to livestream the event starting at 17:15 GMT. Al Jazeera adds that the next total solar eclipse is due on August 2 next year, with a track crossing southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.