Here are the authoritative facts about the **August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse maximum duration**, verified across multiple sources: --- ## ✅ Fact Check: Maximum Duration = **2 minutes 18 seconds (138 seconds)** | Source | Maximum Duration | Notes | |---|---|---| | **Wikipedia** | **2 min 18 s** (infobox) | Body text specifies **2m 18.21s** at the point of greatest duration | | **NASA** | **Less than 2½ minutes** | "For most... less than two minutes... near the very center... a little longer (but still less than two and a half minutes)" | | **timeanddate.com** | Consistent with 2m 18s | Maximum eclipse at 17:46:06 UTC | ### Precise Location of Greatest Duration The point of longest totality is **just 45 km (28 mi) off the western coast of Iceland** at coordinates **65°10.3' N, 25°12.3' W**, where the maximum duration is **2 minutes 18.21 seconds**. ### Key Details - **Greatest eclipse**: August 12, 2026 at 17:47:06 UTC - **The longest totality on land** will be at **Látrabjarg, Iceland** - The eclipse path crosses the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, northern Spain, and a small part of northeastern Portugal **Conclusion**: The claim that the maximum duration is approximately **2 minutes 18 seconds** is **accurate**. The more precise figure is **2 minutes 18.21 seconds** (138 seconds) at the optimum point in the North Atlantic off Iceland's western coast.