- A total solar eclipse will occur on August 12, visible in parts of Europe and Greenland
- The eclipse will last up to 2 minutes 18 seconds depending on the viewer's location
- India will not see the eclipse as it occurs during nighttime hours locally
A total solar eclipse will take place on August 12, drawing global attention from stargazers and astronomers alike. The Moon will pass directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the Sun for people inside the path of totality. For a brief period, daylight will fade into darkness, temperatures may drop, and some bright stars and planets could become visible. The Moon's shadow will cover the Sun for up to around 2 minutes and 18 seconds, depending on the location.
The eclipse will be visible either partially or completely across several parts of the world, including Europe, Greenland, Iceland, northwestern Africa and parts of the United States.
The eclipse on August 12 will be of special significance for Europe. It will be the first total eclipse of the Sun visible from mainland Europe since 1999. An estimated 980 million people worldwide will be able to see at least a partial eclipse and about 15 million people will be in the path of totality, as per NASA.
Notably, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun and blocks some or all of the Sun's light from reaching parts of Earth.
Will the Eclipse be visible in India?
For India, the event will take place during nighttime, meaning there will be no eclipse to see in the Indian sky. The eclipse will occur between the evening of August 12 and the early hours of August 13 in Indian Standard Time. The eclipse will begin at around 9:04 pm IST, with the peak expected at around 11:16 pm.
At that time, the Sun will be below the horizon across India. This means the eclipse will not be visible from any part of the country, regardless of weather conditions.
Skywatchers in India can instead watch live online broadcasts from major space agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency.
Where will the total eclipse be visible?
The path of totality will stretch across parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and other areas along its route. Spain will offer some of the best viewing opportunities. Cities including León, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia will fall within the path of totality.
Madrid and Barcelona will be just outside the path, but people there will still see more than 99% of the Sun covered. The eclipse will also be partially visible across much of Western Europe, parts of northwestern Africa and a small portion of the United States.
When will India see a total solar eclipse again?
India will have to wait several years for its next opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse from the ground. The next total solar eclipse visible from India is expected on March 20, 2034. Its path will extend across several countries, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, before continuing through parts of Asia and Africa.
Until then, Indian skywatchers will have to rely on online broadcasts to experience total solar eclipses that occur outside the country.
