Honestly, if you woke up today thinking you’d see the sky go dark, I’ve got some news. It’s a bummer, but there isn’t a solar or lunar eclipse happening on January 18, 2026.
I know, I know. Social media is weird. Sometimes a video from three years ago starts trending again, or an old news article gets pushed into your feed by an algorithm that isn't checking the date. You see a headline about a "Ring of Fire" or a "Blood Moon," and suddenly everyone is asking the same thing: what time is the eclipse for today?
The short answer? There isn’t one. Not today.
But don't close the tab yet. While today is quiet, 2026 is actually a massive year for space geeks. We are currently sitting in the "calm before the storm." We’re less than a month away from the first major celestial event of the year, and if you're a traveler, there is a total solar eclipse coming later this summer that people are already spending thousands of dollars to see.
Why today is actually important (even without an eclipse)
Today, January 18, is a New Moon.
In astronomical terms, a New Moon is the moment the Moon sits directly between the Earth and the Sun. If the alignment were perfect, we would have a solar eclipse right now. But the Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Most of the time, the Moon’s shadow just misses us, passing either above or below the Earth.
So, while there's no "bite" taken out of the Sun today, we are officially in the countdown phase for the real deal.
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When is the next eclipse in 2026?
Since you're clearly looking for a show, mark your calendars for February 17, 2026. That is the first "real" eclipse of the year.
It’s an annular solar eclipse. You’ve probably heard it called a "Ring of Fire." This happens when the Moon is a bit further away from Earth in its orbit, so it looks slightly smaller than the Sun. It can't cover the whole thing, leaving a brilliant, blazing ring around the edges.
The Catch: This one is mostly for the penguins.
The path of annularity—where you see the actual ring—is almost entirely over Antarctica. Unless you’re a researcher at the French-Italian Concordia Station or the Russian Mirny Station, you aren't seeing the ring.
However, a partial version of this eclipse will be visible from:
- The southern tip of South America (Chile and Argentina)
- Southeastern Africa
- Remote parts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans
If you're in Cape Town or Buenos Aires, you might see a tiny sliver of the Sun disappear around 12:12 UTC, but it won't be the life-changing event people usually hope for.
The Big One: August 12, 2026
If you were asking "what time is the eclipse for today" because you want to experience "totality"—that eerie, mid-day darkness—you need to look toward August.
On August 12, 2026, a Total Solar Eclipse will sweep across the Northern Hemisphere. This is the first total eclipse to hit mainland Europe in decades. It’s a huge deal.
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The Path of Totality
The shadow will start in northern Siberia, cross the North Pole (very cool, but nobody is there), and then hit Greenland and Iceland before making its grand entrance into Spain.
What time does the August eclipse happen?
Since "today" doesn't have an eclipse, let's look at the timings for the one everyone is actually preparing for. If you're planning a trip, these are the windows:
- Reykjavík, Iceland: Totality starts around 3:15 PM local time. It’ll last about 1 minute and 42 seconds.
- Northern Spain (A Coruña, Bilbao): This happens late in the day, around 8:27 PM local time.
- The Balearic Islands (Mallorca): This will be wild. The eclipse happens just as the Sun is setting. Imagine a blacked-out Sun sinking into the Mediterranean.
Basically, 2026 is the year of the "Sunset Eclipse." In Spain, the Sun will be very low on the horizon—only about 2 to 10 degrees up. That means if you have a building or a mountain in your way, you’ll miss it.
What about the Moon?
If you prefer the night sky, we have two lunar eclipses coming up later this year too.
- March 3, 2026 (Total Lunar Eclipse): This is the "Blood Moon." The Moon will turn a deep, rusty red. It’ll be visible across the Americas, East Asia, and Australia.
- August 28, 2026 (Partial Lunar Eclipse): This happens just two weeks after the big solar eclipse. You’ll see it in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Don't get fooled by "Eclipse Fever"
Every time the Moon reaches its "New" or "Full" phase, the internet starts buzzing with eclipse rumors. It’s sort of like a game of telephone.
Here is the reality check for today, January 18:
There is no celestial shadow falling on Earth today. There is no need for eclipse glasses this afternoon.
But if you want to be ready for the events that are coming, you should start doing a few things now. Total eclipses are basically the Super Bowl of the sky. Hotels in Iceland and Spain for August 2026 are already being booked out. I’m not even kidding. If you wait until June to book a flight to Mallorca, you’re going to pay through the nose.
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Actionable Next Steps for Future Eclipses:
- Check your location for August: Use a site like Time and Date or EclipseWise to see if your city is in the path. If you're in London, Paris, or New York, you'll only see a partial eclipse. You have to travel to the path of totality to get the full experience.
- Buy your glasses now: Remember the 2024 eclipse in the US? Prices for those paper glasses tripled the week of the event. Buy a 5-pack now and throw them in a drawer. Make sure they are ISO 12312-2 certified.
- Download an Eclipse App: Apps like Solar Eclipse Timer use your GPS to tell you exactly when to take your glasses off and put them back on. It's a lifesaver for first-timers.
- Ignore the "Today" hype: Unless a reputable source like NASA or the Royal Observatory says there is an eclipse today, it's likely just an old video recirculating.
The sky is empty today, but the show on August 12 is going to be one for the history books. Start your countdown now.