If you’ve been scrolling through social media today, January 14, 2026, looking for a countdown timer to a "solar eclipse tonight," I’ve got some news that might be a bit of a bummer.
There actually isn't a solar eclipse tonight.
I know, I know. The internet has a way of recycling old news or getting dates slightly scrambled until everyone is convinced the sky is about to go dark. Honestly, it’s easy to get confused when we’re living through what astronomers are calling a "Golden Age" of eclipses. While there’s plenty of cool stuff happening in the sky right now—like Jupiter shining like a searchlight near Gemini—the moon isn't going to be blocking the sun today.
But don’t close this tab yet.
If you were hyped for an eclipse, your timing is actually pretty great because 2026 is going to be a massive year for space geeks. We are just weeks away from a "Ring of Fire" and months away from what some are calling the eclipse of the century.
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Why everyone is asking about the solar eclipse tonight
Usually, when these rumors start flying on a random Wednesday in January, it’s because of a few things happening at once. Today, for instance, we’ve got a waning crescent moon hanging out near the star Antares. If you're up before dawn, it’s a gorgeous sight, but it's not an eclipse.
There's also some chatter about Ganymede (one of Jupiter’s moons) transiting the planet tonight. It’s basically a mini-eclipse happening way out in space that you can see with a decent telescope. People see the word "transit" or "shadow" and suddenly the "solar eclipse tonight" search terms start trending.
The real deal—the next actual solar eclipse—is hitting the calendar on February 17, 2026.
That’s the one you should be prepping for if you want to see the sun turned into a glowing hula hoop. It’s an annular solar eclipse, which is just a fancy way of saying the moon is a bit too far from Earth to cover the sun completely.
The 2026 Eclipse Roadmap
Since you're already here looking at the clock, let’s look at the actual times and dates that matter for 2026.
- February 17, 2026 (Annular Solar Eclipse): This is the "Ring of Fire." It’s mostly going to be a show for Antarctica and parts of the Southern Indian Ocean. If you’re in southern Africa or South America, you might catch a partial "bite" out of the sun. The greatest eclipse happens at 12:11 UTC.
- March 3, 2026 (Total Lunar Eclipse): This isn't a solar event, but it's the "Blood Moon" everyone loves. This one is huge for North and South America.
- August 12, 2026 (Total Solar Eclipse): This is the big one. The "Eclipse of the Century." It’s going to sweep across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain.
The August 12 Total Solar Eclipse: What to actually expect
Since there isn't an eclipse tonight, let's talk about the one worth requesting time off for. The August 12 event is the first total solar eclipse to hit mainland Europe in decades.
If you happen to be in Spain, the timing is kind of wild. It’s going to happen right as the sun is setting. Imagine the sky turning into a deep, bruised purple-black just as the sun touches the horizon. It’s the kind of thing that makes people cry. Or at least post really high-quality Reels.
In places like Palma or Ibiza, totality will be super low on the horizon—only about 2° up. You’ll need a perfectly clear view of the west. If there’s even a tiny hill or a row of hotels in your way, you’ll miss the best part.
Timing for the August 12 Spectacle (Local Times)
- Reykjavík, Iceland: Totality starts around 5:48 PM. It’ll last just under a minute.
- Oviedo, Spain: Totality hits at 8:27 PM. You get about 1 minute and 48 seconds of darkness.
- Zaragoza, Spain: Starts at 8:28 PM.
- Majorca, Spain: Totality is right at 8:31 PM, literally minutes before the sun dips below the Mediterranean.
How to not go blind (Seriously)
Even though you aren't watching a solar eclipse tonight, you’re going to need gear for February and August. The biggest mistake people make? Thinking polarized sunglasses are enough.
They aren't. Not even close.
To look at a partial or annular eclipse, you need ISO 12312-2 certified glasses. These are thousands of times darker than your Ray-Bans. If you look through them inside your house, you shouldn't be able to see anything at all—not the lights, not the TV, nothing. Only the sun is bright enough to punch through that film.
If you can't find glasses, you can go old-school with a colander. Yeah, the thing you strain pasta with. Hold it out during a partial eclipse and look at the shadow on the ground. Every little hole will project a tiny crescent sun. It’s a low-tech way to see the event without risking your retinas.
Why the "Ring of Fire" in February is tricky
So, if you're planning to track the February 17 eclipse, keep in mind that "annular" means no totality.
During a total eclipse, the sky goes dark, birds stop singing, and the temperature drops. You can actually take your glasses off for those few minutes of totality. But during an annular eclipse? The "Ring of Fire" stays bright.
Because a sliver of the sun’s surface is always visible, it is never safe to look at without protection. Not even at the peak. It’s basically a high-stakes celestial trap for your eyes.
What you CAN see in the sky tonight
Since the solar eclipse tonight is a bust, don't ignore the actual show.
Jupiter is currently the brightest "star" in the sky. It reached opposition recently, meaning it’s about as close and bright as it ever gets. If you have a pair of basic birdwatching binoculars, you can actually see its four largest moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. They look like tiny white pinpricks of light perfectly lined up next to the planet.
Also, Saturn is hanging out in the southwest for a few hours after sunset. It’s not as bright as Jupiter, but it’s got that distinct steady glow that tells you it's a planet and not a flickering star.
Summary of upcoming solar events
| Date | Type | Primary Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2026 | Annular Solar | Antarctica, Southern Africa |
| Mar 3, 2026 | Total Lunar | Americas, Asia, Australia |
| Aug 12, 2026 | Total Solar | Spain, Iceland, Greenland |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Annular Solar | South America, Africa |
The "solar eclipse tonight" might be a myth, but the next few months are basically the Olympics of astronomy.
If you want to be ready, your best move is to grab a pair of certified eclipse glasses now before the August rush. Prices usually triple the week before a total eclipse, and shipping gets "kinda" unreliable when everyone realizes at the same time that they need them.
Check your local sunset times and find a spot with a clear western horizon. Practice finding Jupiter tonight—it's the big, bright one in the east after dark. If you can track a planet, you’ll have no problem finding the sun when the moon finally decides to show up for real.