NASA will stream live coverage of a total solar eclipse today, August 12, 2026, as the Moon’s shadow races across parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The agency announced the broadcast in a post on Tuesday, noting that viewers can tune in starting at 1:15 p.m. ET (1715 UTC).
The path of totality begins in far northern Siberia near the North Pole, travels south through the Arctic and North Atlantic, and crosses Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small northwestern corner of Portugal. Maximum totality lasts about 2 minutes and 18 seconds near the greatest eclipse point off Iceland’s western coast.
In Iceland, residents of Reykjavík will experience totality beginning around 5:48 p.m. local time. In Spain, cities such as León, Zaragoza, and Valencia will see the Sun completely obscured in the evening shortly before sunset, with totality lasting roughly one to two minutes.
A much wider region will witness a partial solar eclipse, including parts of northern Russia, most of Europe, northwestern Africa, Canada, and the northern United States from Alaska to North Carolina. In some western European and African locations, the partial eclipse will continue as the Sun sets.
NASA’s live stream will feature telescope views, footage from a high-altitude research aircraft chasing the Moon’s shadow, and expert commentary. Coverage is available on NASA’s website, NASA+, YouTube, X, and other platforms.
The agency and partner scientists are also using the event for research, including atmospheric studies with balloons and solar observations from aircraft. Officials remind the public that proper eclipse glasses or indirect viewing methods are essential for safe observation outside the brief moments of totality.
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