You probably woke up, saw a weird tint to the light outside, or maybe just noticed everyone on social media freaking out, and now you’re asking: is today a solar eclipse?
The short answer for today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, is no. Not in the way you’re likely hoping for if you’re standing in North America or Europe. If you were looking for a total blackout or a "ring of fire" right this second, you’ve missed the window or you’re a few months too early for the next big one.
Eclipses aren't random. They follow the Saros cycle—a geometric dance between the Earth, Moon, and Sun that astronomers like those at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center have mapped out centuries into the future. While today isn't the big day, the frenzy makes sense. We are currently in a very active period of solar cycles, and the "eclipse fever" that started back in 2017 and 2024 has basically turned everyone into an amateur astronomer.
Why everyone thinks there's an eclipse today
Search trends often spike because of "lunar" vs "solar" confusion. People see a bright moon or a specific lunar phase and immediately jump to the "is today a solar eclipse" question. Or, more likely, you’ve seen a viral (and probably fake) TikTok video claiming a "total darkness event" is happening today.
Let's be real: the internet is full of eclipse hoaxes.
Actual solar eclipses require a "syzygy"—a straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies. For a solar eclipse, the Moon has to be in its "new" phase and crossing the ecliptic plane at the exact moment it passes between us and the Sun. Today, the geometry just isn't there.
Looking back at the recent path of totality
If you’re feeling a bit of FOMO, it’s probably because the 2024 eclipse left such a massive mark on our collective memory. That event, which stretched from Mexico through Texas and up into New England, was a generational moment. I remember standing in a driveway in Ohio; the birds literally stopped singing. The crickets started chirping because they thought it was night. It was eerie. It was quiet. It was cold—the temperature dropped about 10 degrees in minutes.
That kind of experience creates a lingering curiosity. You want that hit of cosmic awe again.
When is the next actual solar eclipse?
If you're asking "is today a solar eclipse" because you want to plan a trip, you need to mark August 12, 2026, on your calendar. That is the big one.
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That eclipse will be a total solar eclipse. It’s going to be spectacular because the path of totality will sweep across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, and northern Spain. If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to visit Reykjavik or the Mediterranean coast of Spain, that’s your window. In Spain, the eclipse will happen quite low in the sky shortly before sunset, which provides an incredible opportunity for photographers to catch the corona against a golden-hour backdrop.
Before that, we have an Annular Solar Eclipse (the "Ring of Fire") on February 17, 2026. However, unless you are a penguin or a very dedicated researcher in Antarctica, you probably won't see it. The path is extremely remote.
Common misconceptions about eclipse safety
While we’ve established that today isn’t the day, it's worth debunking the nonsense that floats around every time the sun gets mentioned.
First off, you cannot use sunglasses. I don’t care if they are polarized, "high-end," or doubled up. Standard sunglasses let in thousands of times too much sunlight. To safely view the sun—eclipse or not—you need ISO 12312-2 international standard filters.
I’ve seen people try to look through toasted glass or potato chip bags. Please don't do that. Your retinas don't have pain receptors. You won't even know you're burning your "central vision" until you wake up the next morning with a permanent grey smudge in the middle of your sight. It's called solar retinopathy, and it's permanent.
The science of the "Eclipse Season"
Eclipses happen in pairs. Usually, a solar eclipse happens about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse. This is because the Moon’s orbit is tilted at about 5 degrees relative to the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Most of the time, the Moon’s shadow misses Earth entirely, passing "above" or "below" us.
We only get an eclipse when the Moon crosses the "nodes"—the two points where the orbits intersect. This happens roughly every six months, creating what astronomers call an "eclipse season."
Right now, we are outside that specific window for a major terrestrial event.
What to do if you're disappointed
If you were really hoping to see something cool in the sky today, don't give up on the hobby. While there isn't an eclipse, the Sun is currently near "Solar Maximum." This is the peak of the 11-year solar cycle (Cycle 25).
What does that mean for you?
- Increased Sunspots: If you have those eclipse glasses from 2024 (and they aren't scratched!), go outside. You can often see massive sunspots—some larger than Earth—just by looking at the sun through the filters.
- Auroras: The same solar activity that causes eclipses to have "spiky" coronas also causes the Northern Lights. We’ve seen auroras as far south as Alabama and Italy lately.
- Planetary Alignments: Check a sky map app. Often, when people think an eclipse is happening, it’s actually just a very bright conjunction of Venus or Jupiter near the Moon.
Checking the "Live" Status
Whenever you see a headline asking "is today a solar eclipse," always check the source. NASA’s "Eclipse Explorer" is the gold standard. They provide a real-time, interactive map where you can toggle your exact zip code to see if even a partial eclipse is visible.
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Most "live" streams on YouTube titled "SOLAR ECLIPSE TODAY" are actually loops of the 2017 or 2024 events used to farm views and ad revenue. If the sun in the video looks perfectly clear and then suddenly goes dark in three minutes, it's a recording. Real eclipses take a couple of hours from first contact to the end.
Preparing for August 2026
Since today isn't the day, you should use this time to prep for the August event. The 2026 total eclipse is going to be a logistical nightmare in Europe. Spain is already seeing hotel bookings spike in the "path of totality" zones like A Coruña and Zaragoza.
If you plan to go:
- Book early. Like, now.
- Check the weather patterns. Northern Spain in August is usually clear, but Iceland is a gamble.
- Get your gear. Don't wait until August 1st to buy eclipse glasses; the price gouging will be insane, just like it was in 2024.
Honestly, the "is today a solar eclipse" search is just the start of the journey. Astronomy is about timing. It’s about being in the right place at the exact right second. Today might be just another Sunday, but the "Big One" is less than seven months away.
Actionable Steps for Skywatchers
Since you're clearly interested in the sky, here is how you can stay ahead of the curve so you never have to wonder "is today a solar eclipse" again:
- Download a tracking app: "Solar Eclipse by Redshift" or "Time and Date" are excellent. They give you countdowns to the exact second for your specific GPS coordinates.
- Verify your glasses: If you have old glasses, hold them up to a bright lightbulb. If you can see the filament or any light through a scratch, throw them away. They are dangerous.
- Join a local club: Search for "Astronomical Society" in your city. These groups usually have massive telescopes with H-alpha filters that let you see solar flares in real-time.
- Plan the August Trip: If you can afford it, look at flights to Madrid or Bilbao for the second week of August 2026. Seeing a total eclipse over the Spanish landscape is a bucket-list item that genuinely changes your perspective on our place in the universe.
The cosmos isn't doing much for us today, but the clock is ticking toward a summer that will be absolutely unforgettable for anyone under the shadow.