Newsroom
Europe is about to experience one of its most exciting years for skywatchers in decades, with rare eclipses, dramatic “blood moons,” supermoons, and meteor showers lighting up the calendar in 2026.
The biggest highlight is a total solar eclipse returning to Europe for the first time in 27 years. While Cyprus won’t be in the path of total darkness, nearby Spain will be front and center as the Moon completely blocks the Sun for nearly two minutes just before sunset. Astronomers across Europe, including many from Greece and Cyprus, are already planning trips to witness it.
For Cyprus and Greece, the eclipse will appear only as a very small partial eclipse, barely noticeable to the naked eye. Still, scientists say the Mediterranean location is ideal for studying the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, something that’s only possible during total eclipses.
Another solar eclipse will follow on February 17, 2026, this time an annular eclipse, where the sun appears as a glowing ring. That one won’t be visible from Cyprus, but it adds to what experts describe as an unusually active year for solar phenomena.
The Moon, meanwhile, will put on its own show. On March 3, 2026, a total lunar eclipse, also known as a Blood Moon, will turn the Moon deep orange-red. A second lunar event, a partial lunar eclipse, will be visible from Cyprus in the early morning hours of August 28, with the peak expected around 6:50 a.m.
Skywatchers will also get three supermoons in 2026, when the full moon appears larger and brighter than usual, on January 3, November 24 and December 23. May will even feature a rare blue moon, meaning two full moons in the same month.
And for those who prefer shooting stars to eclipses, the Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12 and 13 under ideal conditions, with no moonlight to interfere, making it one of the best stargazing nights of the year.
Bottom line: even if Cyprus misses out on total darkness, 2026 will still be a standout year for anyone willing to look up.
