Total Solar Eclipse to Darken Europe for First Time in 26 Years

A total solar eclipse will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, and northern Spain on Wednesday, August 12th. It marks the first time since 1999 that a total eclipse will be visible from central or western Europe. According to Imo Bell, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the event gives spectators a rare chance to see the sun's corona—the outer atmosphere—with the naked eye. Bell spoke on Bloomberg This Weekend with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, noting that the eclipse also offers scientists a valuable opportunity to study this part of the sun. Totality, when the moon fully blocks the sun, will last for a few minutes in each location. Viewers are advised to use proper eye protection during the partial phases before and after totality.