August Solar Eclipse: Where to See It in the U.S.

The solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, will be partially visible from several regions of the United States, including Alaska, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. The event will be one of the major astronomical events of the year and will also be visible across different parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

According to NASA, the path of totality will cross Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small area of Portugal. The United States will remain outside the path of totality, which means the eclipse will only be partial in the country, with different levels of solar coverage depending on location.

For truckers and professional drivers, August 12 will be a day to pay particular attention on the road. The eclipse will coincide with busy commercial driving hours and could create distractions among motorists, as well as prompt some people to stop along roads to watch or photograph the event.

Visible Along Northern U.S. Roads

NASA confirms that Alaska and Maine will be among the best locations in the United States to observe the partial eclipse. It will also be visible, although with less coverage, from cities including New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

The visibility zone includes parts of Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, as well as several states across the Northeast and East Coast, including New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

There will also be areas where only a very small portion of the Sun will be covered, particularly near the edges of the eclipse’s visibility zone.

Differences between regions will be significant. While some areas of Alaska will see more than one-third of the Sun covered, Maine will be among the best places to observe the eclipse within the contiguous United States. In other parts of the North and Northeast, the portion of the Sun covered will be considerably smaller.

Alaska Will Have Some of the Best Views

For truckers working in Alaska on the morning of August 12, the eclipse will be much more noticeable.

In Fairbanks, NASA estimates that approximately 37% of the Sun’s disk will be covered. The eclipse will begin at around 7:37 a.m., reach its maximum at approximately 8:27 a.m., and end around 9:18 a.m.

Anchorage will also be in a favorable position. The eclipse will begin there at approximately 7:36 a.m., reach its maximum at 8:21 a.m. with about 28% of the Sun covered, and end around 9:09 a.m.

In Juneau, maximum coverage will be approximately 17%.

This means drivers traveling through Alaska during the early morning hours could experience lighting conditions that are somewhat different from normal, although the darkness associated with a total solar eclipse will not occur.

Maine Will Be One of the Best Places in the Contiguous U.S.

Among the 48 contiguous states, Maine will be one of the regions where the eclipse will be most visible.

In Bangor, the partial eclipse will begin at approximately 12:54 p.m. and reach its maximum at 1:53 p.m., when around 24% of the Sun will be covered. It will end at approximately 2:49 p.m.

Portland will experience approximately 19% maximum coverage at around 1:53 p.m., while Augusta will see slightly more than 21%.

Coverage will be even greater in northern Maine. Presque Isle, for example, could see approximately 28% of the Sun’s disk covered.

For truckers traveling through Maine during those hours, the eclipse could provide an unusual sight from the road.

New York, Boston, and Other Major Cities

The eclipse will also be visible from several major metropolitan areas in the Northeast.

In New York City, the eclipse will begin at approximately 1:07 p.m., reach its maximum at around 1:54 p.m., and end near 2:38 p.m. Maximum coverage will be approximately 9%.

Boston will have better viewing conditions, with approximately 16% of the Sun covered at maximum eclipse, around 1:55 p.m.

In Philadelphia, coverage will be approximately 7%, while Washington, D.C. will see around 4%. Detroit will experience approximately 3%.

The farther drivers are from Alaska and the far northeastern United States, the less noticeable the eclipse will become.

Could the Eclipse Affect Driving?

In the United States, this will be a partial eclipse, and in many regions the percentage of the Sun covered will be relatively small. Drivers should therefore not expect roads to suddenly become dark, as happened within the path of totality during the April 8, 2024 eclipse.

However, there is another important factor for anyone behind the wheel: distraction.

A solar eclipse can attract the attention of drivers and passengers, creating distractions and encouraging some motorists to look toward the Sun while driving. Vehicles may also stop in unsafe locations as people attempt to watch or photograph the eclipse.

For a trucker operating a large commercial vehicle, keeping full attention on the road is far more important than trying to watch the eclipse from the cab.

Anyone who wants to experience the event should do so during a scheduled stop, parking the truck in an authorized and safe location completely away from moving traffic.

Never Look Directly at the Sun

NASA warns that during a partial solar eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection.

Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark they are, do not provide sufficient protection. Anyone looking directly at the eclipse should use certified eclipse glasses or solar viewers specifically designed for solar observation.

This warning is especially important for drivers. Trying to watch the eclipse while driving combines two separate risks: distracted driving and the possibility of serious eye injury.

A Rare Sight for Truckers on the Road

The August 12 eclipse will not turn day into night in the United States. Totality will occur thousands of miles farther east, primarily over Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and other locations along the international path of totality.

But truckers traveling through Alaska, Maine, New England, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, and other northern parts of the United States may notice a different-looking sky for a short period of time.

For truck drivers, it will be one of those rare natural events capable of making an ordinary day on the road feel a little different.

The key is knowing where to look, but more importantly, knowing when not to look. If the eclipse happens while you are behind the wheel, keep your eyes on the road. If you want to watch it, park safely in an authorized location, use certified solar eye protection, and enjoy the eclipse before getting back on the road.