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August 12: Solar Eclipse & 6 Planets Align!
11 Aug
Summary
- Total solar eclipse visible in Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Portugal.
- Six planets will align in the pre-dawn sky on August 12.
- Eclipse will be visible in Spain, but not in India.
On August 12, 2026, the final solar eclipse of the year will grace the skies. This significant astronomical event will be visible as a total solar eclipse across northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. Specifically, parts of northern Spain will experience a brief period of daytime darkness.
The eclipse commences around 9:05 PM IST on August 12, with the totality phase beginning at 10:29 PM and peaking at 11:17 PM. The celestial show concludes in the early hours of August 13. Importantly, the eclipse will not be visible from India, as it takes place during the night in that region.
Adding to the spectacle, August 12 also marks a rare planetary alignment. Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – will form an alignment visible in the pre-dawn sky. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are expected to be particularly clear.
Following the eclipse, traditional practices include bathing, cleaning homes and places of worship, and purifying shrines with Gangajal. Ritualistic worship and donations to the needy are also considered auspicious.
