Solar Eclipse 2026 in Wroclaw: 85% of the Sun Covered

On the evening of Wednesday, 12 August 2026, Wrocław will have the best view in Poland of the most anticipated astronomical event of the year: a deep partial solar eclipse. As the Moon slides across the face of the Sun, around 85% of the solar disc will be hidden as seen from Wrocław — the greatest coverage of any major Polish city — turning an ordinary summer sunset into a rare celestial spectacle.

While the path of totality passes far to the west over Greenland, Iceland and Spain, western Poland sits in the sweet spot for the partial phase. From Wrocław the eclipse begins at about 19:17, reaches its maximum around 20:09 with roughly 85% of the Sun covered (magnitude 0.874), and ends at 20:15 as the Sun dips below the horizon. Because the whole event unfolds low in the north-western sky just before sunset, choosing a spot with a clear, unobstructed western horizon — away from buildings, hills and treelines — is essential. It’s worth scouting your location a day in advance, since the Sun will set in a similar position on 11 August.

Safety is critical: never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye, and never through binoculars, a telescope or a camera without a proper solar filter — doing so can cause permanent eye damage. The simplest safe option is a pair of certified eclipse glasses fitted with ND5 solar film, widely available online for just a few złoty. If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can safely project the Sun’s image onto a sheet of white paper or card using binoculars — or even a kitchen colander — and watch the crescent Sun appear on the surface.

This is the first time a total solar eclipse has crossed continental Europe since August 1999, and for Poland it’s the deepest partial eclipse in years. The next opportunities are a partial eclipse on 2 August 2027 and an annular eclipse visible from Spain in 2028.

And the sky isn’t finished for the night. The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of 12–13 August, so once darkness falls, look up again — clear skies between roughly 11 and 14 August should bring a fine display of “shooting stars” to round off an unforgettable evening of stargazing in Wrocław.