ESA's daytime workshop programme for the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse event in León, Spain. Credit: European Space Agency.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the Moon's shadow will cross Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and a small part of northeastern Portugal. For mainland Europe, this is the first total solar eclipse since 1999—and viewers anywhere can follow ESA's live English-language broadcast from Spain.
Official ESA live broadcast
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Eastern Time:around 1:30 p.m. EDT
- Pacific Time:around 10:30 a.m. PDT
- Spain:around 7:30 p.m. CEST
Watch onESA Web TVorESA's YouTube stream.
Broadcast and event schedule
ESA says its English broadcast will originate from the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel, Spain. The times below convert the official CEST schedule to U.S. Eastern and Pacific daylight time.
The daytime and stage times describe ESA's public event in León; the confirmed online broadcast time is the separate 7:30 p.m. CEST listing. ESA labels the start as “around” 7:30 p.m., so open the stream early in case coverage begins ahead of schedule.
What makes this eclipse unusual
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun and appears large enough to cover the Sun's bright surface. The geometry is familiar; the experience is not. Daylight collapses, the temperature can dip, bright planets may appear and the Sun's faint corona suddenly becomes visible around the Moon's black silhouette.
The 2026 path of totality is narrow. It crosses remote parts of Greenland, reaches Iceland, then sweeps into northern Spain near sunset before touching a small area of Portugal. Outside that strip, much of Europe will see a partial eclipse rather than totality.
That low evening Sun gives Spain a dramatic view, but it also creates a practical challenge: buildings, hills and clouds near the horizon can block the final phases. ESA's broadcast provides a useful alternative for anyone outside the path—or for viewers whose local weather does not cooperate.
The StarPixels flip: the Sun does not disappear
The most startling part of totality feels like the Sun has switched off. It has not. The Moon only blocks the bright photosphere along one moving track on Earth.
The corona that appears during totality is always there. It is a million-degree outer atmosphere extending millions of miles into space, but the everyday sky is too bright for human eyes to see it. An eclipse does not create the corona; it briefly removes the glare hiding it.
That is why the event is more than a shadow show. It lets viewers see a layer of the Sun normally overwhelmed by the Sun itself.
How to watch safely
Regular sunglasses are not safe for eclipse viewing.Use certified eclipse glasses whenever any bright part of the Sun is visible. Looking directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun can permanently damage your eyes.
- Use eclipse viewers meeting the ISO 12312-2 safety standard.
- Inspect glasses before use; discard them if scratched, punctured or damaged.
- Put the glasses on before looking toward the Sun, then look away before removing them.
- Do not look through a camera, binoculars or telescope while wearing ordinary eclipse glasses. Optical devices need properly mounted solar filters on the front of the instrument.
- Only during totality—when the Sun is completely covered—is brief unaided viewing safe. Replace eye protection immediately when the first bright sunlight reappears.
If you are watching only online, none of these eye-safety precautions are needed for the screen itself.
What to look for during the stream
Just before totality, watch for the final beads of sunlight breaking through valleys along the Moon's edge. One brilliant point can remain for a moment, producing the diamond-ring effect. During totality, the corona should appear as a pale structure around the Moon. Its shape traces the Sun's magnetic field and can stretch far beyond the visible solar disk.
Also watch the horizon. Even while the observer stands inside the Moon's shadow, sunlight still reaches the atmosphere beyond the path of totality. The result can resemble a 360-degree sunset.
The entire transformation is temporary. Totality at any one location lasts only minutes before the Moon's shadow races onward and daylight returns.
Official links and sources
- European Space Agency —Watch the total solar eclipse with ESA in León
- European Space Agency —2026 solar eclipse resources
- ESA Web TV
- Official ESA YouTube broadcast
- ESA Multimedia —León daytime workshop programme and image
🔭 Clear skies. — Rick Wood, StarPixels
2026-08-02 8:32 AM CT — Published eclipse broadcast guide with Eastern and Pacific viewing times, official ESA links, source credit, and eye-safety guidance
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