PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE · SUN SETS DURINGHelsinki, FinlandWednesday 12 August 2026 · times in EEST (UTC+3)
79.6%
OF THE SUN COVERED
A clear bite was taken out of the Sun. Daylight barely changed, so this was an eclipse you had to know about in advance to notice.
THE SUN SETS PART-WAY THROUGH
Sunset was at 21:22, with the Sun still 79.6% covered. Everything after that happened below the horizon.02 · TIMING
When did it happen?
The whole eclipse ran 1h 42m. All times are local, in EEST.
20:00 MAX 20:52 21:42
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| First contactthe Moon touches the Sun's edge | 20:00 | 8° WNW |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 20:52 | 2° WNW |
| SUNSET 21:22 NOTHING BELOW THIS LINE IS VISIBLE | ||
| Last contacthappens after the Sun has set | 21:42 | BELOW HORIZON3° under |
Times for the hidden phases are given because they are real — they are simply not observable from here.
03 · DIRECTION
Where was it in the sky?
At maximum the Sun was just 2° above the horizon to the north-west — low enough to need a clear, flat horizon, over water or from high ground.
The Sun's height and bearing at maximum, from Helsinki. The horizon is at 0°.
THE EXPERIENCE
What it was actually like
A distinct bite was taken out of the Sun, reaching 79.6% at maximum. Daylight barely changed — the eye adapts far too well for that — so this was an eclipse you had to know about in advance to notice. Anyone watching needed a filter; the remaining Sun was as dangerous as an uneclipsed one.
04 · POSITION
Where was it seen?
The path passed 2,547 km to the north-west of Helsinki and was 291 km wide. Only inside it was the Sun covered completely.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 05:26
- SUNSET
- 21:22
- DAY LENGTH
- 15h 57m
- CIVIL DUSK
- 22:15
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 79.6%
- COORDINATES
- 60.17° N, 24.938° E
- PATH WIDTH
- 291 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 3,415 km/h
- SAROS
- 126 · no. 54
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.8329
- GAMMA
- 0.8977
Contact times are accurate to a couple of seconds at the coordinates above. Altitudes are geometric — unrefracted, on the WGS 84 ellipsoid.
NEXT FROM HELSINKI
What else is coming here?
The rest of what the sky over Helsinki has coming, soonest first.