
A complete guide to the 2026 total solar eclipse
Here’s everything you need to know about this eclipse, from the weather to the best viewing locations
A total solar eclipse will take place on August 12, and millions of sky-gazers will, for a few brief minutes, see the world plunged into darkness as the moon passes directly in front of our star. The best views of this solar eclipse are from the Arctic Circle, Iceland, Spain and parts of Portugal. Read our coverage below.

NASA

A complete guide to the 2026 total solar eclipse
Here’s everything you need to know about this eclipse, from the weather to the best viewing locations

The eclipse chaser’s guide to the 2026 total solar eclipse
All the tips and tricks you need to watch and photograph this incredible celestial phenomenon

Do animals act weirdly during a solar eclipse? Or do we?
There are many observations of animals behaving oddly during eclipses, but the reason may have nothing to do with the sun and moon

The Perseid meteor shower aligns with a total solar eclipse this year—here’s how to see it
Skygazers are in for a treat in August, as one of the most spectacular meteor showers coincides with a total solar eclipse

August’s solar eclipse inspires science involving jets, balloons and Einstein’s general theory of relativity
Solar eclipses are a rare and brief opportunity for scientists to gather data on everything from the physics of the sun to air pressure in the upper atmosphere

Is there a ‘best’ solar eclipse?
Duration, location, aviation: What makes the best possible view of a total solar eclipse?

Is Earth the only planet with total solar eclipses?
Other planets have moons, too. Do they get eclipses like we do?

How Ancient Humans Studied—And Predicted—Solar Eclipses
Dragon bones, mysterious carvings and simple math reveal ancient eclipses

To Ancient Maya, Solar Eclipses Signified Clashing Gods
Ancient Maya saw solar eclipses as a “broken sun” that was a sign of possible destruction

A Solar Eclipse Is Too Special to See Through Your Smartphone
To make the most of any total solar eclipse, put down your gadgets and bask in one of our solar system’s most glorious spectacles

An Eclipse Is a Moment of Solitude, Even When You’re in a Crowd
Even among hundreds of people, experiencing an eclipse is a joyous solitude

The Victorian Woman Who Chased Eclipses
Annie Maunder was an astronomer who expanded our understanding of the sun at the turn of the 20th century. Her passion was photographing eclipses.

Eclipses Reveal a Comforting Clockwork in Our Chaotic Universe
Eclipses bring the future—or at least a tiny sliver of it—into sharp focus