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European solar eclipse safety and impact updates

Updated 6 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-07 14:06 UTC → 2026-08-07 14:36 UTC · added ~~removed~~

European solar eclipse ~~eye‑safety warnings~~ safety and impact updates

The 12 August 2026 total solar eclipse will trace a narrow path of totality from the Arctic across Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and a sliver of north‑western ~~Portugal before moving over the Atlantic,~~ Portugal, with total darkness lasting up to two minutes 18 seconds near western ~~Iceland and about 20 seconds in northern Spain.~~ Iceland. A deep partial eclipse will be visible across most of Europe, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Morocco and other North‑African locations, reaching up to 92 % coverage in Tangier and 90‑96 % in the UK. Health authorities in Portugal, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom and other affected nations continue to stress that only CE‑marked, ISO 12312‑2‑certified eclipse glasses provide adequate protection; ordinary sunglasses, CDs or improvised filters can cause permanent retinal damage. Free certified glasses can be reserved online, and pharmacies and supermarkets sell them at modest prices. ~~German officials and the~~ The German Aerospace Center (DLR) ~~are~~ is organising an international measurement campaign to study the ionospheric ~~response to the sudden loss~~ response, and France’s grid operator RTE expects a rapid drop of about 9 700 MW (3.7 %) in EU solar ~~radiation~~ generation, including a 1 800 MW reduction in France, during the ~~eclipse.~~ eclipse’s peak. Iberia will operate a special flight (IB1473) at more than 10 000 m altitude, using Starlink satellite internet to stream live images of the event. The ~~event~~ eclipse coincides with the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, offering a rare combined day‑time eclipse and night‑time meteor display. Observations will also be possible from parts of northern Russia and across North America, with partial coverage up to 92 % in Tangier, 88 % in Denmark and 84‑92 % in Germany. Because the eclipse occurs on a New Moon, the Perseid meteor shower will appear especially dark. Guidance reiterates the use of ISO‑12312‑2 certified glasses, avoidance of binoculars or telescopes without proper solar filters, and suggests simple projection methods such as using a kitchen colander. The next total solar eclipse visible from Europe is not expected until 2075, and the next global total eclipse until 2081.

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