The 2026 Solar Eclipse: What It Was and How to Watch Without Hurting Your Eyes

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse passed over parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal New York Times. In a total solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun and completely blocks the Sun's light for a short time. People in the direct path of the Moon's shadow got to see this full blackout. People in other parts of Europe saw only a partial eclipse, where the Sun was partly covered but never fully hidden.

The difference between a total and a partial eclipse matters a lot for your eyes. When the Moon fully covers the Sun, it is safe to look up with just your eyes New York Times. At every other moment during the eclipse, looking at the Sun without special protection can seriously damage your eyes. NASA is clear: only during the brief total phase is it safe to look directly at the Sun without protection NASA.

The American Astronomical Society says the only safe way to look at the Sun — when it is not fully eclipsed — is through special-purpose solar filters, like eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers AAS. During partial eclipses, where the Sun is never fully covered, it is never safe to look up without proper eye protection NASA.

Safe eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses and must meet a safety standard called ISO 12312-2 NASA. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for looking at the Sun NASA. The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus confirms that only filters meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard are safe, while regular sunglasses, Polaroid filters, and most welding filters are not AAPOS. A shade 12 welding filter is technically safe, though many people find the Sun too bright through it AAS.

NASA does not approve any specific brand of solar viewers NASA. The AAS offers three tests that eclipse glasses must pass to be considered probably safe AAS. Before using eclipse glasses, check them and throw them away if they are torn, scratched, or damaged NASA. Children should always be watched while using solar viewers NASA. The AAS advises standing still, putting on your eclipse glasses before looking at the Sun, and turning away before taking them off AAS. If you wear regular eyeglasses, keep them on and place eclipse glasses over them, or hold a handheld viewer in front of your glasses AAS.

One important warning involves cameras and telescopes. NASA says eclipse glasses should never be used to look at the Sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device NASA. The focused sunlight passing through lenses can burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury NASA. Looking through a camera, binoculars, or telescope without a special solar filter attached to the front will cause instant and severe eye damage NASA. Solar filters made for telescopes and similar equipment must be placed on the front of the instrument, and NASA recommends asking an astronomer for advice before using one NASA. If you are using a telescope or camera with a proper solar filter attached, you do not need eclipse glasses, because the filter does the same job NASA.

If you do not have certified eclipse glasses, there is a safe alternative. A pinhole projector lets you see the eclipse without looking at the Sun at all. It works by projecting an image of the Sun onto a surface nearby NASA. You can make one from a cardboard box, a white sheet of paper, tape, scissors, and aluminum foil. During the partial phases, it shows a crescent-shaped image of the Sun NASA.

The eclipse on August 12 started in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions before reaching Spain and Portugal. Observers in Greenland and Iceland had the longest time in total darkness on land New York Times. Spain and Portugal, near the end of the Moon's shadow path, experienced totality just before the event ended.

The broader context here is that total solar eclipses visible from Europe do not happen often, and each one brings a large public effort to teach people about eye safety — rules most people do not normally think about. The challenge is the short gap between the safe moments of totality and the danger of all the partial phases around it. The 2026 eclipse is a clear reminder that the only safe time to look at the Sun with your naked eyes is when it is fully covered, and that even a few seconds outside that window, the Sun's rays can cause permanent damage to your eyes.