A solar eclipse will be visible Aug. 12 across Europe, Africa and North America this summer, which includes parts of New England and the Midwest.
The best places to view this stunning celestial event, according to an eclipse path from Time and Date, include Iceland and Spain, where the totality will bathe cities like Reykjavik and León in an eerie twilight for nearly two minutes.
As it turns out, one of the worst spots to see it will be in Indiana. That’s a bummer, but fortunately there are other neat astronomical events you can look forward to this month.
Story continues after photo gallery from 2024
Indiana listed among states getting a partial solar eclipse Aug. 12, 2026
Eclipses occur when the Earth, moon and sun are temporarily aligned. When the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, as it did above Indianapolis in April 2024, it’s called a total solar eclipse.
Indiana is on a list of U.S. states to witness a partial eclipse on Aug. 12, according to National Eclipse, whose list includes:
How much of the Aug. 12 partial solar eclipse will Indiana get?
While Indiana made the list, most Hoosiers likely won’t notice the partial eclipse at all. Only portions of northeast Indiana are in its path, and even then, it’s barely a sliver.
How small? According to Time and Date, beginning at around 1:16 p.m. Aug. 12, Fort Wayne is expected to get 0.45% of the partial solar eclipse. Hoosiers would need to drive northeast of Angola to be in roughly 1% of the eclipse path.
Where’s a good place to watch the Aug. 12 partial solar eclipse?
Thinking of taking a vacation this summer to New England? The area around Freeport, Maine, is expected to have a much better viewing experience with up to 20% of the sun blocked by the eclipse.
You can find out how much of the Aug 12 eclipse you’ll be able to see at your location online at Time and Date.
And for those wondering, a large partial solar eclipse — more than 50% — won’t happen in Indiana until January 2029.
Check out these other astronomical events happening in May
On May 18, look west just after sunset. The moon, writes NASA, is getting a “bright little sidekick” as Venus shines into conjunction. About two weeks later on May 31, another full moon graces the skies. It’s also the third full moon of Spring, and the second full moon in a calendar month, making it a blue moon.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at John.Tufts@IndyStar.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana is in the path of a solar eclipse this summer. But there’s a catch
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
