Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Fred Espenak

Introduction

The Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Partial Eclipse: north North America, west Africa, Europe
  • Total Eclipse: Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain

The map to the right depicts the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the map to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the map, see Key to Solar Eclipse Maps.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 2026 Aug 12 at 17:47:06 TD (17:45:53 UT1). This is 2.3 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Leo. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 1282.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 126 and is number 48 of 72 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s descending node. The Moon moves northward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma increases.

The total solar eclipse of 2026 Aug 12 is followed two weeks later by a partial lunar eclipse on 2026 Aug 28.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 72.3 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12 .

Eclipse Data: Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.03863
Eclipse Obscuration 1.07876
Gamma 0.89774
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 2026 Aug 12 at 17:47:05.8 TD (17:45:53.4 UT1) 2461265.240202
Ecliptic Conjunction 2026 Aug 12 at 17:37:53.9 TD (17:36:41.6 UT1) 2461265.233815
Equatorial Conjunction 2026 Aug 12 at 17:05:01.6 TD (17:03:49.3 UT1) 2461265.210987
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
2026 Aug 12 at 17:47:05.8 TD (17:45:53.4 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension09h29m47.3s09h31m17.3s
Declination+14°48'04.5"+15°36'58.5"
Semi-Diameter 15'47.0" 16'16.9"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.7" 0°59'45.1"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 4.1°
b -1.1°
c 17.0°
Prediction Parameters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE406
ΔT 72.3 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 126 (48/72)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP115:35:23.915:34:11.656°41.2'N166°02.3'W
Last External ContactP419:59:09.219:57:56.911°26.5'N025°10.8'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N116:02:42.916:01:30.643°29.4'N163°39.3'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S119:31:43.819:30:31.502°35.9'S022°04.3'W

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Contacts of Umbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
First External ContactU116:59:18.116:58:05.874°56.0'N117°35.5'E
First Internal ContactU217:03:19.017:02:06.775°10.1'N109°03.5'E
Last Internal ContactU318:31:21.618:30:09.339°36.6'N006°20.0'E
Last External ContactU418:35:17.718:34:05.437°47.6'N004°32.6'E
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Umbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N117:03:09.817:01:57.475°10.4'N108°41.8'E
South Extreme Path Limit 1S116:59:28.116:58:15.874°54.8'N117°58.0'E
North Extreme Path Limit 2N218:31:30.618:30:18.339°42.4'N006°20.4'E
South Extreme Path Limit 2S218:35:07.818:33:55.437°41.3'N004°32.4'E

Explanation of Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Central Line Extremes and Duration: Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Extreme Limits of the Central Line
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
Extreme Central Line Limit 1C117:01:16.517:00:04.175°04.7'N113°27.5'E
Extreme Central Line Limit 2C218:33:21.718:32:09.438°40.7'N005°24.9'E

Explanation of Central Line Extremes Table

Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration
Event Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude Sun
Altitude		 Sun
Azimuth		 Path Width Central
Duration
Greatest Eclipse17:47:05.817:45:53.465°13.4'N025°31.9'W 25.8° 248.4° 294.0 km02m18.21s
Greatest Duration17:45:53.917:44:41.665°49.8'N025°29.2'W 25.7° 247.5° 292.9 km02m18.23s

Explanation of Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Polynomial Besselian Elements
2026 Aug 12 at 18:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 0.47551 0.77118 14.7967 0.53797 -0.00814 88.7478
1 0.51892 -0.23017 -0.0121 0.00009 0.00009 15.0031
2 -0.00008 -0.00012 -0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 0.0000
3 -0.00001 0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0046141
Tan ƒ2 0.0045911

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 18.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Links for the Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Information

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 Aug 12 were generated using the JPL DE406 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass. The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 72.3 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this website is based on the book Thousand Year Canon of Solar Eclipses 1501 to 2500. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.