Partial solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 will cover up to 90% of the sun across Germany

Eclipse path and coverage

On Wednesday, 12 August 2026, the moon will pass in front of the sun, producing a partial solar eclipse visible across all of Germany. The total eclipse path, roughly 294 km wide according to NASA, will stretch from the Arctic over Greenland and Iceland to the Iberian Peninsula and the western Mediterranean. Germany will lie in the penumbra, meaning only a partial eclipse will be observable, but coverage will still be substantial: between 83 and 90 percent depending on location. Freiburg in the south will experience the greatest coverage at 90 percent, while Sassnitz on Rügen will see 83 percent. Berlin will reach 85 percent, and Schleswig-Holstein about 87 percent according to the Sternwarte Lübeck.

Timing across Germany

The eclipse will begin at different times depending on latitude. In Flensburg and List on Sylt, the northernmost points, the partial phase starts at 19:11 MESZ. In Oberstdorf in the far south, it begins at 19:24. The maximum will be reached between 20:05 (Flensburg) and 20:17 (Oberstdorf). In Berlin, the eclipse begins at 19:15, peaks at 20:08, and ends at 20:34, just four minutes before sunset at 20:38. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Nicole Sehring of the Sternwarte Bochum observatory says the eclipse will start around 19:15, reach its peak at 20:10, and end shortly before 21:00 as the sun disappears below the horizon. The entire global event will last four hours and 28 minutes, from 17:34 to 21:58 MESZ.

Viewing conditions and safety

The German Weather Service (DWD) issued a preliminary forecast on 7 August suggesting summer temperatures between 28 and 31 degrees Celsius with few clouds, though a DWD meteorologist noted that precise predictions remained too early. Because the sun will sit very low during the eclipse, Sehring recommends finding an elevated spot with an unobstructed view toward the northwest. In the Ruhr region, slag heaps (Halden) offer suitable vantage points. Experts uniformly warn that looking directly at the sun without certified eclipse glasses risks permanent retinal damage. Sunglasses, smoked glass, and other improvised filters provide no adequate protection. Certified eclipse glasses are available at opticians, observatories, and planetariums.

Public events in NRW

Several observatories and institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia will host public viewing events under the banner of the "Lange Nacht der Astronomie" (Long Night of Astronomy). Aachen's observatory will offer a lecture and joint observation starting at 18:00 with free entry. Bochum's Sternwarte will hold a family day from 15:00, costing one euro per person and suitable for children aged three and up. Bonn's Argelander-Institut will run a programme from 16:00 with a livestream, free entry, and no registration required. Duisburg's Home venue will host viewing from 17:00, and Cologne's Volkssternwarte will offer an interactive programme from 19:00 with free admission.

Perseid meteor shower follows

A few hours after the eclipse, Earth will pass through the dust trail of a comet, producing the Perseid meteor shower. Sehring expects a large number of shooting stars. The timing is especially favourable because 12 August will also be a new moon, meaning no bright moonlight will interfere with the display. The combination of a deep partial eclipse at sunset followed by a dark-sky meteor shower makes the evening an unusually rich one for astronomical observation across Germany.