Total solar eclipse sweeps across Europe for first time since 1999, Poland sees up to 88% obscuration

First total eclipse over continental Europe since 1999

On Wednesday, 12 August, the Moon's shadow swept across the Northern Hemisphere, producing the first total solar eclipse visible in continental Europe since 1999. The path of totality began on the Taymyr Peninsula in northern Russia, crossed the Arctic Ocean and Greenland, reached Iceland, then traversed the Atlantic to northern Spain and a sliver of Portugal before ending over the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Mallorca. The longest period of totality, 2 minutes and 13 seconds, was observed at the Latrabjarg cliffs in Iceland. Spain had prepared more than 400 official or recommended observation points for the influx of visitors. The eclipse was also visible during the European Athletics Championships underway in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Deep partial eclipse across Poland

In Poland the event manifested as a deep partial eclipse, with the Moon obscuring between 42% and 88% of the solar disk depending on location. The most favorable viewing conditions were in western and northern Poland. The maximum obscuration of 88% was recorded in the Kłodzka Valley, while observers in the Bieszczady mountains saw only 42% of the disk covered before sunset. The eclipse began between approximately 19:10 and 19:20 local time, with the deepest phase occurring just before sunset. Because the maximum coincided with a low Sun near the western horizon, observers sought spots with an unobstructed view westward.

Crowds and viewing methods

Across Polish cities, residents sought elevated positions. In Warsaw, tickets to the Varso Tower observation deck and the Palace of Culture and Science sold out well in advance. Crowds gathered on the pedestrian bridge over the Vistula and on the Old Town escarpment. The Copernicus Science Centre hosted free public observations, with large crowds assembling before 18:00. In the Tatra Mountains, tourists positioned themselves on Kasprowy Wierch as early as 18:00, watching the Sun sink between the massifs of Giewont and Kopa Kondracka. Over the Vistula Spit, skies provided good visibility of all phases.

Observers used a range of techniques. Specialized eclipse glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard were the simplest direct-viewing method. Telescopes and binoculars required solar filters mounted at the front. Many used pinhole projection, a method recommended by NASA that projects an image of the Sun onto a white surface through a small hole in cardboard. Some resorted to improvised methods such as smoked glass, X-ray films, and CDs, which specialists advised against. Experts warned that even during a partial eclipse, looking at the Sun without proper protection can cause permanent retinal damage.

City-by-city timing

Rzeczpospolita, citing the Astronomical Almanac for 2026 published by the Polish Astronomical Society, provided detailed timings for eight cities. In Gdańsk the eclipse began at 19:11, reached maximum at 20:05 (85.5% obscuration), and the Sun set at 20:23. In Warsaw the maximum phase of 86.1% occurred at 20:07, coinciding with sunset. TVN24 reported the Warsaw maximum at 82% at 20:03, a discrepancy between the two sources. In Wrocław the maximum reached 87.4% at 20:12. In several cities, including Białystok and Kraków, the calculated maximum occurred after sunset and was not visible.

Perseids and what comes next

The same evening, the Copernicus Science Centre hosted the Night of Falling Stars, dimming surrounding lights for Perseid meteor shower observations. The institution announced that astronomy popularizers would share telescopes with visitors.

Popularizers of astronomy from the Polish Amateur Astronomy Society will make their telescopes available to you, through which you will see interesting objects visible in the sky. You will also see what meteorites, or cosmic rocks, look like when they have already fallen to Earth.

The next total solar eclipse visible in the broader region falls on 2 August 2027, visible in southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, with a maximum duration of 6 minutes and 23 seconds. The next comparable eclipse visible in Poland will not occur until 2075.