New York City will experience a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday afternoon, August 12, 2026, with the moon clipping roughly 9% of the sun’s disk between 1:07 p.m. and 2:38 p.m. EDT. The event is part of a total solar eclipse whose path of totality crosses northern Siberia, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain, but the five boroughs sit well outside that corridor, limiting the local spectacle to a modest lunar bite visible during the early-to-mid afternoon.
Key Takeaways
- The partial eclipse in Manhattan begins at 1:07 p.m. EDT, reaches maximum coverage of approximately 9% at 1:54 p.m., and ends at 2:38 p.m.
- The path of totality runs from northern Siberia through the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic, and into northern Spain and a sliver of northeastern Portugal.
- Certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers are required for the entire duration of a partial eclipse; there is no safe moment to view the sun without protection outside the totality path.
- A six-planet alignment was visible before sunrise the same morning, and the Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight into August 13 under ideal new-moon conditions.
- The next partial solar eclipse visible from New York City will not occur until January 2028, with only about 3% coverage.
What New Yorkers Will See and When
According to NASA’s eclipse data for the August 12 event, New York City’s partial eclipse window spans approximately 91 minutes. The moon will begin crossing in front of the sun at 1:07 p.m. EDT, gradually covering a narrow crescent along the solar disk’s edge. Maximum eclipse arrives at 1:54 p.m., when about 9% of the sun’s surface area is obscured. By 2:38 p.m., the moon will have moved clear of the solar disk entirely.
At the point of maximum coverage, the sun will sit roughly 62 degrees above the horizon, placing it high in the southern sky. The forecast for Wednesday calls for mostly sunny conditions in the city, which should give observers a clear sightline to the event, though the small percentage of coverage means the effect will be subtle. There will be no noticeable darkening of the sky or temperature drop at street level.
The Totality Path Reaches Europe for the First Time Since 1999
While New York gets a modest partial view, the real show is happening across the Atlantic. The eclipse’s path of totality begins in far northern Siberia near the North Pole and tracks south through the Arctic Ocean, crossing western Iceland, including Reykjavik, before reaching northern Spain in the late evening local time. Cities like León and Zaragoza in Spain will see the sun fully eclipsed for roughly two minutes, while Barcelona will experience 99% coverage just short of totality.
This marks the first time a total solar eclipse has been visible from mainland Europe since August 11, 1999, making it a generational event for the continent. The eclipse occurs approximately 2.2 days after the moon reached perigee on August 10, meaning the moon’s apparent diameter is slightly larger than average, producing a magnitude of 1.0386 and a maximum totality duration of 2 minutes and 18 seconds over the North Atlantic.
For observers in Spain’s path of totality, the sun will be low on the western horizon when it goes dark, creating what astronomers are calling a “sunset eclipse,” a rare alignment of total eclipse and golden-hour light that is expected to produce dramatic visuals for photographers and researchers alike.
Eye Safety Remains Non-Negotiable for Partial Viewing
NASA and the American Astronomical Society have reinforced that anyone watching the partial eclipse must use certified solar viewing glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Standard sunglasses, regardless of tint, do not provide adequate protection. Safe eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than conventional eyewear and are designed specifically to filter the sun’s visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light.
During a partial eclipse, there is no moment when looking at the sun without protection is safe. That distinction matters: during the April 8, 2024, total eclipse, observers within the path of totality had a brief window to view the sun unaided. No such window exists for New York City on Wednesday. Observers are also warned against looking through camera lenses, binoculars, or telescopes without front-mounted solar filters, as concentrated light can damage equipment and retinas instantly.
For those without eclipse glasses, NASA recommends indirect viewing through a pinhole projector, which casts an image of the sun onto a nearby surface. Tree canopies also function as natural pinhole arrays, projecting crescent-shaped images of the eclipsed sun onto sidewalks and walls beneath them.
August 12 Delivers a Rare Triple Celestial Lineup
The eclipse is only one component of an unusually active astronomical day. Before sunrise on Wednesday, a six-planet alignment placed Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune along the eastern horizon. Mars and Saturn were visible to the unaided eye, while Uranus required binoculars and Neptune a telescope.
After dark, the Perseid meteor shower reaches its annual peak on the night of August 12 into the early morning hours of August 13. The Perseids, produced by debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, are one of the most prolific annual meteor showers, capable of producing upward of 100 meteors per hour under dark-sky conditions. This year’s peak coincides with a new moon, meaning there will be no competing moonlight to wash out fainter meteors.
City observers will face the usual challenge of Manhattan’s light pollution, but rooftops, riverfront parks, and clearings in Central Park and Inwood Hill Park offer the widest sky views. For those willing to travel, the Catskills and Adirondacks offer some of the darkest skies in New York State and historically strong Perseid viewing.
New York’s Next Eclipse Opportunity Is January 2028
Wednesday’s partial eclipse is the only solar eclipse of any kind visible from New York City in 2026. The next partial solar eclipse over the five boroughs is not expected until January 2028, when the moon will obscure only about 3% of the sun’s disk. For a total solar eclipse visible from New York City, residents will have to wait until May 1, 2079.
FAQs
What time does the solar eclipse start in New York City?
The partial eclipse begins at 1:07 p.m. EDT on August 12, 2026. Maximum coverage of roughly 9% occurs at 1:54 p.m., and the event ends at 2:38 p.m.
Can New Yorkers see a total solar eclipse on August 12?
No. New York City is outside the path of totality, which crosses Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain. The city will only experience a partial eclipse with about 9% of the sun’s disk covered at peak.
Is it safe to watch the partial eclipse without glasses?
No. Certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer are required for the entire duration of a partial eclipse. Regular sunglasses do not provide adequate protection, and there is no moment during a partial eclipse when it is safe to look at the sun unaided.
When is the next solar eclipse visible from New York City?
The next partial solar eclipse visible from New York City is expected in January 2028, with approximately 3% solar coverage. The next total solar eclipse visible from the city will not occur until May 1, 2079.
