Major solar eclipse crosses Europe today; Aruba will not see it

AMSTERDAM - A total solar eclipse will cross parts of Europe today, August 12, 2026. Iceland, northern Spain and a small part of Portugal are in or near the path of totality, while the Netherlands will see roughly 88 to 90 percent of the Sun covered by the Moon, making it the country’s most significant solar eclipse since 1999.

In the Netherlands, the eclipse begins at around 7:15 p.m. and reaches its maximum shortly after 8:10 p.m., not long before sunset.

For Aruba, however, there is no viewing opportunity today. Astronomical visibility data for Oranjestad do not list the August 12 solar eclipse as visible from the island. The next eclipse visible from Aruba will instead be a partial lunar eclipse on August 27-28, 2026.

That means people in Aruba should not expect even a meaningful partial solar eclipse today. Those interested in the event will have to follow live coverage from Europe.

Anyone watching the eclipse from Europe should never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye, ordinary sunglasses or improvised filters. Proper eclipse glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 safety standard are required.