Western Romania to witness total solar eclipse in August

A total solar eclipse will be visible from large areas of continental Europe, including the western part of Romania, on August 12, 2026, nearly three decades after a similar astronomical event that occurred in 1999.

The upcoming total solar eclipse will be visible from several regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including certain parts of Europe, Greenland, northern Canada, Alaska, as well as northeastern and northwestern Russia.

"On August 12, 2026, the first total solar eclipse visible from continental Europe in nearly three decades will occur, following the eclipse of August 11, 1999, when the path of totality crossed Romania as well. This statement refers strictly to continental Europe, because in the meantime there have been total eclipses observable from regions on the edge of the continent, such as Antalya (Turkey) on March 29, 2006, and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in northern Russia on August 1, 2008," Adrian Șonka, astronomer at the "Admiral Vasile Urseanu" Astronomical Observatory in Bucharest, told Digi24.

The most spectacular moment, when the Moon completely covers the solar disk, will only be visible from a band up to 294 kilometers wide. This band crosses Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, northern Portugal, northern Spain, and the Balearic Islands.

In Romania, the solar eclipse will only be visible partially and exclusively in the western part of the country, in cities such as Satu Mare, Arad, and Oradea, where the Moon will cover up to 38% of the solar disk. In all these areas, the phenomenon will occur close to sunset, creating a subtle play of light and shadow across the sky, according to the same source.

By contrast, in Bucharest and in localities east of the capital, the astronomical phenomenon will not be visible.

According to astronomical calculations, the eclipse will begin globally at 15:34 UTC (18:34 Romanian time), reach its maximum at 17:46 UTC (20:46 Romanian time), and end at 19:57 UTC (22:57 Romanian time). 

radu@romania-insider.com

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