Solar Eclipse USA Aug 12 2026: Times by State & %

By Zendar Universe Updates Team | Last updated: 10 August 2026

A celestial event is sweeping across North America this week. On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, millions of Americans will look up to see a bite taken out of the Sun. While Europe prepares for a spectacular total eclipse, skywatchers in the USA are gearing up for a widespread partial eclipse. If you are looking for the full path of totality guide, we have you covered with everything you need to know about the solar eclipse August 12 2026 USA experience.

1. Is the solar eclipse visible in the United States on August 12?

Yes, but only as a partial eclipse. A partial solar eclipse is visible from 26 U.S. states on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The Moon's dark central shadow, known as the umbra, misses North America entirely. Instead, only the outer penumbral shadow sweeps across northern parts of the continent, traveling from Alaska through the northern states and into New England.

There is NO totality anywhere in the United States. Americans will see only a modest "bite" out of the Sun. Observers far from Alaska, the Canadian border, and New England will see a very small eclipse, or none at all. Alaska sees the eclipse in the morning, while the Northeast sees it in the early afternoon.

• Alaska's Morning Show – Alaska experiences the eclipse during the morning hours, boasting the deepest coverage in the entire country.
• Northeast Afternoon Viewing – States like Maine, New York, and Massachusetts will catch the partial eclipse time EDT in the early afternoon.
• No Ring of Fire – Because the Moon is relatively close to Earth, this is not an annular eclipse, and no location in the US will see a ring of fire or totality.

Knowing exactly when to look is crucial. Because the penumbral shadow moves rapidly across the Earth's surface, the partial solar eclipse 2026 time varies significantly depending on your exact longitude and latitude.

2. What time is the solar eclipse in my state?

IMPORTANT ACCURACY CAVEAT: The times and coverage percentages listed below represent specific cities. Eclipse times and percentages shift between cities inside the very same state. Readers must confirm their exact coordinates with a location-specific eclipse calculator, such as the Timeanddate.com eclipse calculator, to get to-the-minute local data.

Finding your local eclipse time EDT or AKDT is simple. If you are wondering what time is the solar eclipse today in your area, use the table below as a baseline for the 26 solar eclipse visible states. Remember, northern Maine peaks highest in the contiguous US at approximately 28% around 1:50 p.m. EDT.

City-by-City Eclipse Times & Percentages

Check your local timezone carefully. Alaska operates on Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT), while the Northeast operates on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Here is the breakdown for major viewing hubs. These verified figures show the local time of maximum eclipse and the approximate percentage of the Sun obscured by the Moon.

Fairbanks takes the crown. Fairbanks, Alaska, experiences the deepest eclipse in the entire US at approximately 37% coverage. Meanwhile, observers in the lower 48 will see the deepest bite in northern Maine.

3. Which 26 states can see the eclipse — and which cannot?

Location is everything for this event. The 26 states that can see the eclipse are primarily clustered in the northern half of the country, stretching from the Pacific Northwest and northern plains across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast, plus Alaska. If you are asking, "is the solar eclipse visible in my state?" and you live in Texas, Florida, or Southern California, the answer is unfortunately no. The shadow simply does not reach that far south.

4. Why does America only get a partial eclipse?

It all comes down to orbital geometry. The Moon's dark inner shadow (the umbra) is relatively narrow. For this specific event, the path of totality is roughly 180 miles (294 km) wide, crossing eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, and the extreme northeastern tip of Portugal. The US only gets grazed by the lighter, wider outer shadow (the penumbra).

The global show is spectacular. According to EclipseAtlas.com, the umbral shadow touches down off Arctic Russia at 16:58 UTC. The greatest eclipse occurs at 17:47 UTC, and the track ends around 18:34 UTC. Maximum totality is 2 minutes 18 seconds, offshore near Iceland.

• European Totality – Spain sees totality roughly 8:26–8:33 p.m. local time, with the eclipsed Sun very low on the western horizon. (Be aware of the wildfire smoke risk over Spain).
• Historic Event – This is the first total solar eclipse from mainland Europe since 1999, and the first from Europe since 2015.
• UK Visibility – Across the channel, UK viewers get a 90% eclipse.

5. How to watch safely

Eye safety is non-negotiable. Because totality never occurs anywhere in the US, eclipse glasses ISO 12312-2 certified are mandatory for the ENTIRE event. There is no safe moment to remove them while looking at the Sun.

Essential Solar Filter Rules

Do not improvise your eye protection. Sunglasses, smoked glass, exposed film, and CDs offer zero protection against severe retinal damage. Furthermore, never look through binoculars, a telescope, or a phone lens without a certified FRONT-mounted solar filter. The optics will concentrate the solar rays and instantly melt standard eclipse glasses.

The Pinhole Projector Alternative

Try a safe, indirect viewing method. We highly offer the pinhole projector as a free, safe alternative. Simply punch a small hole in an index card and let the sunlight project through it onto a second piece of white paper on the ground. You will see a perfect crescent shape mirroring the eclipsed Sun.

Keep an eye on the weather. Cloud cover can easily ruin a partial eclipse. Check your local forecasts early and often.

What if you are outside the viewing zone? You don't have to miss out on the astronomical action.

6. Can't see it? Watch the eclipse live online

Digital viewing is a great backup plan. If you are outside the 26 states or trapped under cloudy skies, you can still catch the solar eclipse live stream NASA broadcast. NASA will stream the eclipse live beginning at 1:15 p.m. EDT on Aug 12 at nasa.gov/live.

7. Don't miss the Perseids the same night

August 12 offers a rare "celestial double feature" for American skywatchers. The Perseid meteor shower peaks the very same night, Aug 12 into the morning of Aug 13. Because the eclipse happens at New Moon, the skies will be completely moonless, creating perfect, dark conditions for meteor hunting.

• Peak Viewing Times – Best viewing is between about 2 a.m. local time and dawn.
• High Meteor Rates – Under clear, dark skies, rates average around 60 meteors per hour.
• More Info – Check our guide to ensure you know when the Perseids peak the same night.

The month of August is packed with events. Later this month, skywatchers can also look forward to a partial lunar eclipse on August 28.

8. When is the next total solar eclipse in the US?

Mark your calendars for the next big American eclipses. If you are wondering about the next total solar eclipse in the US, you will have to wait a few years. The next US totality strikes on March 30, 2033, across northwestern Alaska (including Utqiagvik, Kotzebue, Nome, and Prudhoe Bay), offering up to 2 minutes and 37 seconds of totality. The next totality in the contiguous US won't happen until August 2044.

The Next Global Totality

The ultimate eclipse is coming to Egypt. The next total solar eclipse anywhere in the world happens on August 2, 2027, crossing Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East. Luxor, Egypt, will experience an incredible 6 minutes and 20 seconds of totality, making it the longest possible eclipse until the year 2114.