LONDON, United Kingdom: The 2026 total solar eclipse darkened parts of Spain, Iceland, Greenland and Portugal on August 12, while London saw 91% of the Sun obscured at 7:13pm BST.
London coverage exceeded 90% across most of the UK and reached about 95% in Cornwall, according to reports published after the event.
The partial eclipse began around 6pm BST in northern Scotland and shortly before 6:20pm along England’s south coast. The Royal Astronomical Society described it as the UK’s strongest eclipse display in 27 years.
Totality reached parts of Spain at approximately 8:30 pm local time, or 11:30 pm PKT. The Moon completely covered the Sun for less than two minutes at most locations along the totality path, NASA said.
Crowds gathered at viewing sites across Europe, including A Coruña in northwestern Spain and Calton Hill in Edinburgh. BBC reporting described spectators cheering as darkness fell.
Read: 2026 Total Solar Eclipse Crosses Europe on August 12
Chilean scientist Yasmin Catricheo, who travelled to A Coruña, told the BBC that “no words could describe the feeling,” adding: “The Universe is amazing.”
Observers within the totality path could see the Sun’s corona and pink prominences extending beyond the Moon’s silhouette. Elsewhere, viewers used certified eclipse glasses or indirect projection methods to follow the partial phases.
