Solar Eclipse : August 12th 2026

[Steve Campbell]

Just starting a new thread from the old one for anyone going etc. I’ll be in Alcaniz Spain and hoping for clear skies ! Anyone else heading to the ‘total’ area ?

As this is my 3rd eclipse, I wanted to try and get some photos this time rather than just enjoy the “show”. Just completed my home made solar filter for camera using Baader AstroSolar film and it’s working very well ! Nikon P950.

Photo from this morning >

[Bill]

I've just bought a filter. Planning a trip to the biggest hill nearby with views west over the sea. Also planning a prep trip to make sure it'll work and set up exposure etc as a test.

[superpp]

We'll be in Zaragoza.
Best spots will be on the bridges with the sun setting to the side of the cathedral but I expect it will be crazy busy there, so planning to view from the old Expo site with views out along the river.

[Steve Campbell]

Finding the right spot will be key as it’s so low in the sky. I ve just been researching remote high spots near Alcaniz as I’m sure the castle in town will be rammed. Think I’ve found a spot. I also found this site which is excellent for checking where you will be and whether any terrain will get in your way >

https://heliora.app

Select your exact location via the map then play the sun movement for that day. It’s apparently based on topography of the area.

Edited by Steve Campbell on Wednesday 5th August 15:07

[Soloman Dodd]

This eclipse is one day before the Perseids meteor shower, so there is a vague chance of spotting an early one during totality.
Fun fact.

[Bill]

That would be cool!

[TrevorHill]

Are you ready for Wednesday? At the moment conditions are not looking ideal for the partial solar eclipse. About 93% of the Sun will be obscured around 1909 on Wednesday 12th August 2026. It will be the similar to the March 2015 eclipse but slightly more of the Sun will be covered.

For the love of God please do not look directly at the Sun! It will permanently damage your eyesight. I have special solar lenses to observe the eclipse safely. This will not be a total eclipse so the sunlight will get through. At the maximum point of the eclipse you will notice it get darker briefly. This will also happen if it is cloudy.

County Kerry is the best place to see the eclipse without flying to Spain. If you’re on holiday there next week you’re in for a treat. As long as you are inside the purple area. Places like Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza and Mallorca will all experience the total solar eclipse.

Hopefully the skies will be clear so we can see it. The next total eclipse visible from anywhere in Ireland will be on 14th June 2151!

[donkmeister]

I left it a bit last minute to get solar lenses so I'm going to indirectly project with my little refractor. Will do some experimentation to see if I can focus without the prism; I'm not convinced it would take the heat even if I stop down the objective!

For info, if anyone wants to get a drop on the next one, Celestron make a little 50mm refractor specifically for solar eclipse use.

[honda_exige]

I'm in London for this one, hoping to get down to Greenwich Observatory Hill to watch it if the Solar Glasses arrive.

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

[Shaoxter]

honda_exige said:

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

I would dread to think what the prices at Luxor will be like, over 6 mins of totality!

Does anyone have experience of travelling around Algeria/Tunisia/Libya?

[honda_exige]

Shaoxter said:

honda_exige said:

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

I would dread to think what the prices at Luxor will be like, over 6 mins of totality!

Does anyone have experience of travelling around Algeria/Tunisia/Libya?

I looked at Luxor, getting there is the issue, Egypt Air via Cairo is pretty much the only option, Easyjet go there but only over winter.

I can't be arsed dealing with the chaos of Algeria/Tunisia, so took the safe option. Gibraltar on top of the Rock would be awesome but the costs have gone nuts already. I've booked a house by the beach about 15miles north of Gibraltar for a fraction of the cost.

[Phil.]

honda_exige said:

I'm in London for this one, hoping to get down to Greenwich Observatory Hill to watch it if the Solar Glasses arrive.

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

When is the eclipse in Spain next year? We have a place in Southern Spain and could arrange to be there.

[Silver3ides]

Phil. said:

honda_exige said:

I'm in London for this one, hoping to get down to Greenwich Observatory Hill to watch it if the Solar Glasses arrive.

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

When is the eclipse in Spain next year? We have a place in Southern Spain and could arrange to be there.

From Google .. A solar eclipse will pass over the same place twice in less than a year. Spain is set to become a prime location for total solar eclipses, being the only country in the world where the path of totality for both the
August 12, 2026 and August 2, 2027,

[PRO5T]

We’ve just landed in Mallorca and it’s supposed to be a good show here tomorrow night.

[Mogul]

That Heliora app is ace, thank you! https://heliora.app/?lat=57.0514&lng=-2.5045&a...

[honda_exige]

Phil. said:

honda_exige said:

I'm in London for this one, hoping to get down to Greenwich Observatory Hill to watch it if the Solar Glasses arrive.

I've booked next year in Southern Spain at that one will be the 'Eclipse of the Century' apparently. Nearly 5 min totality and at 1045am Sun will be fairly high. Hotel prices already gone mad for that one.

When is the eclipse in Spain next year? We have a place in Southern Spain and could arrange to be there.

August 2nd, it is supposedly THE eclipse to see due to the length, will be the longest totality until the year 2114. Gonna see if I can buy a Solar filter and take my Celestron Nexstar 6SE as hand luggage.

This will be the path:

[honda_exige]

PRO5T said:

We ve just landed in Mallorca and it s supposed to be a good show here tomorrow night.

Enjoy, sunset eclipse will spectacular. Please post pics!

[V8FGO]

For anyone interested for next year we gave booked 6 nights here for £2400;including flights.
Totality around 3m 30 sec.
Cueta should be a v good viewing location, hopefully without the recent issues.

[fooman]

We're in Mallorca, it's proper bonkers, roads are closing, barriers going up, army drafted in.

The problem is as the eclipse is just before sunset there's a lot of places including Palma that won't see anything because of the westerly mountains, the authorities are expecting grid lock as people try to find a better view.

There's talk of getting your spot on the beaches south of Palma early in the day and given that it's over 30c at 9am that'll be a long hot day. The police will be using drones to monitor crowds.

It's having a knock on effect to normal tours and activities as no one knows if they can get to them, and that's not even to mention the shortage of viewing glasses available on the island.

We're mid island with a good sunset spot so hopefully ok.

[donkmeister]

honda_exige said:

August 2nd, it is supposedly THE eclipse to see due to the length, will be the longest totality until the year 2114. Gonna see if I can buy a Solar filter and take my Celestron Nexstar 6SE as hand luggage.

This will be the path:

TBH instead of risking your Nexstar (both in transit, and then risk of heat due to misadventure with the solar filter) Celestron make travel refractors that are cheap enough not to sting if you damage something. Mine's an 80mm that comes in a dedicated rucksack, cost me a little over £100. I think it's probably a repurposed bird-watching scope but it takes 1.25" eye pieces. It's got a healthy dose of chromatic aberration, but it's a piece of piss to set up. No collimation required - I could probably get it set up, look at the moon, then pack it away in less time than it takes for me to get my 10" dobby up and collimated.

If you dent the tube on yours that's going to be a bit of a disappointment!