On August 12, 2026, the sky will darken in Portugal with a rare solar eclipse, which will be almost total across much of the country and fully visible only in a small area of Trás-os-Montes.
Portugal will witness one of the most striking astronomical phenomena of recent decades: a solar eclipse that will turn day into night and will be visible in almost the entire territory, with occultation levels between around 92% and 100% on the continent.
Totality, however, will only be visible in a very narrow band in the northeast of Trás-os-Montes, where the Sun will be completely covered for about 26 seconds.
Where the eclipse will be total
In Portugal, only a small area in the Montesinho Natural Park is in the zone of totality. “The effect of a Diamond Ring will be visible in the sky. Seconds later, the single ray of sunlight fragments into multiple points of light known as Baily’s Pearls. In totality, the Sun disappears completely, revealing the Solar Corona, impossible to see at any other time”explains Agência Ciência Viva in
The village of Guadramil will be the only Portuguese location within the range of totality.
The band of totality crosses other regions of the planet, including the Arctic, Greenland and Iceland.
Where to see the solar eclipse
There are already some events planned for the historic day, especially in the only place in Portugal that is in the zone of totality, the Montesinho Natural Park.
When it happens
The maximum moment of the eclipse should occur around 7:30 pm. The phenomenon coincides with sunset, which means that in some areas it will end after the Sun disappears below the horizon.
Despite the total phase lasts only a few seconds, the eclipse as a whole lasts several minutes.
- Start of partial eclipse: 18h33m50.8s
- Start of total eclipse: 19h30m17.0s
- Fim do eclipse total: 19h30m42.5s
- End of partial eclipse: 20h23m31.1s
- Total eclipse duration: 0m 25.6s
What is a solar eclipse?
A game of shadows with three actors: the Moon, the Earth and the Sun. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sunprojecting its shadow over our planet.
Looking at the Sun: a real danger
Looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause serious eye damage. Observation must be carried out using certified filters or through indirect methods, such as orifice projection.
O largest total eclipse of the Sun in the last 114 years
The last total solar eclipse visible in Portugal occurred in 1912. The next one should only happen in 2144, which makes this event particularly rare.
