Glimpses of the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse as the Moon crossed the Sun over Europe and beyond.
From totality and the diamond-ring effect to eclipse watchers and creative viewing methods, these images capture the celestial event.
The 2026 total solar eclipse turned daylight into a brief twilight as the Moon moved directly between Earth and the Sun, completely hiding the solar disc along its narrow path of totality.
The spectacular event was visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal, while a much wider region witnessed a partial eclipse.
Key Points
- The August 12 eclipse was observed across parts of Europe, with totality visible along a narrow path.
- Photographers captured the Moon crossing the Sun against landmarks, coastlines, landscapes and changing evening skies.
- Observers used telescopes, protective glasses, pinhole viewers and other methods to safely watch the celestial event.
IMAGE: The Moon partially covers the Sun following a total solar eclipse, as seen from Visnjan, Croatia, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters
Totality transforms the afternoon sky
IMAGE: The Moon completely covers the Sun during a solar eclipse, as seen from Villalba del Rey, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters
IMAGE: A combination picture shows different stages of a total solar eclipse, as seen from Arija, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Borja Suarez/Reuters
Landmarks frame the celestial spectacle
IMAGE: The Moon partially covers the Sun during a solar eclipse over Prague Castle, as seen from Prague, Czech Republic, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Eva Korinkova/Reuters
IMAGE: The Eiffel Tower is silhouetted as the Moon partially covers the Sun during a solar eclipse in Paris, France, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
Europe watches the Moon cover the Sun
IMAGE: A composite of seven photographs shows stages of a solar eclipse before and during totality, as seen from Arija, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Borja Suarez/Reuters
IMAGE: A sunflower field is silhouetted as the Moon moves across the Sun during a solar eclipse in Osorno, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon partially covers the Sun near the silhouette of an Osborne Bull in Navarrete, northern Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters
IMAGE: The "diamond ring" effect appears as the Moon moves across the Sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from El Arenal beach in Mallorca, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Francisco Ubilla/Reuters
IMAGE: The Sun sets as the Moon partially covers it during a solar eclipse, as seen from Osorno, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon partially covers the setting Sun following a total solar eclipse, as seen from Arija, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Borja Suarez/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon completely covers the Sun during a solar eclipse, as seen from Villalba del Rey, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters
IMAGE: The "diamond ring" effect appears as the Moon moves across the Sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Arija, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Borja Suarez/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon completely covers the Sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory in Arcos de las Salinas, near Teruel, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon completely covers the Sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory in Arcos de las Salinas, near Teruel, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters
Partial Solar Eclipse
IMAGE: A thermal power station is pictured during a partial solar eclipse in Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Marina Lystseva/Reuters
IMAGE: A bird flies during a partial solar eclipse in Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Marina Lystseva/Reuters
IMAGE: A fish jumps from the water as the Moon partially covers the Sun and briefly dims the afternoon light along the coast of Fregene, near Rome, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
IMAGE: The Moon partially covers the Sun during a solar eclipse, as seen from the beach in Fregene, near Rome, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
IMAGE: The statue of Holy Mary at Apparition Hill is seen during a partial solar eclipse in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Amel Emric/Reuters
IMAGE: A partial solar eclipse is seen behind the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Reuters
IMAGE: A partial solar eclipse is seen over Denmark's North Sea coast in Blavand, Denmark, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Annegret Hilse/Reuters
IMAGE: A solar eclipse is seen in Mariager, Denmark, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Ritzau Scanpix/via Reuters
On The Ground
Watchers turn to telescopes and technology
IMAGE: Angela Cordoba reacts while wearing virtual reality goggles beside her grandchildren, Gadea, 3, and Giulia, 6, at an eclipse watch party in Buitrago del Lozoya, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
IMAGE: A member of the Exploratorium team from San Francisco stands beside telescopes while preparing to observe a solar eclipse in Villalibado, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters
IMAGE: Members of the Exploratorium team from San Francisco adjust a telescope as they prepare to observe a solar eclipse in Villalibado, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters
IMAGE: Rune Willem, 19, an amateur astronomer from Belgium, stands beside his telescope as he prepares to observe a solar eclipse in Villalibado, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters
IMAGE: Angela, David and their son Diego, 7, pose for a selfie wearing protective eclipse glasses during a solar eclipse watch party in Buitrago del Lozoya, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
IMAGE: An artist uses self-made artefacts to observe a solar eclipse before totality near the village of Castell de Cabres, Spain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Eva Manez/Reuters
Creative ways to safely view an eclipse
IMAGE: A man projects an image of the Sun onto a screen through a telescope with a solar filter as people observe in Dakar, Senegal, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Misper Apawu/Reuters
IMAGE: A man wears a welding helmet on the day of a solar eclipse in Visnjan, Croatia, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters
IMAGE: A woman looks at the Sun through a welder's mask during a partial solar eclipse at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, Poland, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
IMAGE: A beachgoer photographs the solar eclipse as the Moon partially covers the Sun and briefly dims the afternoon light along the coast of Fregene, near Rome, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
IMAGE: A person looks through a telescope as people gather to watch a partial solar eclipse near the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory near Macclesfield, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters
IMAGE: A woman uses a colander as a pinhole viewer to observe a partial solar eclipse at Kew Green in London, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Kevin Coombs/Reuters
IMAGE: People queue to buy solar eclipse glasses outside the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Corey Rudy/Reuters
IMAGE: People view a partial solar eclipse from Glastonbury Tor in Glastonbury, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
IMAGE: A person views a partial solar eclipse from Glastonbury Tor in Glastonbury, Britain, August 12, 2026. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
