On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will happen. It will cross Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, and parts of Spain and Portugal. This is the first total solar eclipse in mainland Europe since 1999.

People outside the main path will see a partial eclipse. This includes all of Europe, Africa, the UK, Canada, and the US. In Europe and Africa, the Sun will set while the Moon still covers it. This will make a lovely sunset partial eclipse.

Spain will have three big solar eclipses in three years. In 2026 and 2027, there will be total eclipses. In 2028, there will be an annular eclipse. That is also called a ring of fire eclipse.

During a total eclipse, the sky turns dark. The Moon fully covers the Sun. People can see the Sun's outer glow, called the corona. Bright stars and planets may show up too. The total part lasts about two minutes. The partial part starts more than an hour before and ends more than an hour after.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The Moon's shadow falls on Earth. We do not get one every month because the Moon's path is tilted. An eclipse only happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up just right.

The Moon moves around Earth in an oval path. When the Moon is closer, it looks bigger and can fully cover the Sun. That is a total eclipse. When it is farther, a bright ring remains. That is an annular eclipse.

A partial eclipse happens when the Moon covers only part of the Sun. This can happen if the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly lined up.

Total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months somewhere on Earth. But the path where you can see one is narrow. It is only about 93 to 155 miles wide. The same place sees one only every 360 years. So for many, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Never look at the Sun without special eclipse glasses. The bright light can hurt your eyes or blind you. If you do not have glasses, use a pinhole camera. It shines an image of the Sun onto paper. That way you can watch safely.

Historic wildfires are burning in France and Spain. They have forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate. Thousands of firefighters are working to stop the fires. The fires are caused by very hot and dry weather. Strong winds are making the fires worse. The fires have burned many forests and fields.

The fires started around July 20, 2026. The first big fire was in Spain. It was in Avila and Madrid. It became the biggest wildfire in Spain's history. It burned more than 123,000 acres. That is about 50,000 hectares.

Another big fire started near Bordeaux, France. The fire was so hot that it made a thunderstorm. Lightning from the storm started new fires. As of July 29, firefighters have mostly stopped the fires from spreading. But the fires are still burning. The weather is still very hot and windy. New fires could start.

The hot, dry, windy weather is moving toward Greece and Italy. Emergency workers in those countries are getting ready for new fires.