Total solar eclipse visible across parts of Europe on Wednesday

A total solar eclipse will pass over parts of Europe on Wednesday, with the path of totality crossing Iceland, northern Spain and a small area of northeastern Portugal. Observers in those locations will experience a brief period of darkness as the Moon completely covers the Sun, while a partial eclipse will be visible across much of Europe, the northern United States, Canada and north-west Africa.

NASA advises the use of certified eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers whenever the Sun is visible, and warns against looking at the Sun through unfiltered optical devices. The European Space Agency will livestream the event from Spain’s Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre, and NASA will provide a live broadcast beginning at 1:15 p.m. ET.

In Spain, totality will occur just before sunset, lasting just under two minutes, with the eclipse ending around 9:22 p.m. local time. Dr. Ryan French, a solar astrophysicist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, noted that “for pretty much the entirety of Spain, by the time the sun sets over the horizon, the total eclipse will have happened, but the sun will set in a partial eclipse, a beautiful sight seeing the sun set as a crescent sun.”

Outside the path of totality, viewers will see a crescent-shaped Sun. The extent of coverage varies: New York will experience about a 10% obscuration, while the United Kingdom will see roughly 95% coverage, the highest partial eclipse in the region until 2090.

Typical eclipse phenomena such as Baily’s beads, the “diamond ring” effect and the solar corona will be observable during totality, provided conditions are clear. Dr. French added that lingering wildfire smoke could affect visibility of the corona but might also give the Sun a reddish hue that eases photography.

The eclipse will be followed by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower later Wednesday night, with NASA hosting a live watch party on YouTube at 12 a.m. ET on August 13.