SOLAR ECLIPSE · WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026
Barely. 0.1% of the Sun, and you won't notice it without glasses.
The August 12, 2026 solar eclipse is technically visible from Chicago, but barely: at maximum, 0.1% of the Sun is covered at 12:28 PM CDT, and daylight will look completely normal; even a 50% eclipse leaves the day looking ordinary. With eclipse glasses you can watch a small bite between 12:16 PM and 12:39 PM.
EYE SAFETY: READ BEFORE YOU LOOK
A partial eclipse is never safe to look at unprotected
- Never look at the partially eclipsed Sun with bare eyes.Sunglasses are not protection, not even several pairs stacked, no matter how dark.
- Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, checked for scratches or damage before every use.
- Never point a camera, telescope, or binoculars at the Sun while wearing eclipse glasses: concentrated sunlight destroys the filter and your eyes. Optics need their own solar filter mounted on the front of the instrument.
- No glasses? Pinhole projection is the safe indirect method: cross your fingers into a waffle and watch the crescent Suns on the ground, even the gaps between tree leaves act as natural pinholes.
SAME NIGHT
Make it a double feature
Maximum eclipse is 12:28 PM; after dark that same night, the Perseid meteor shower (the year's best) peaks over Chicago under a moonless sky.
Perseids over Chicago that night →Common questions
Where should I look?
Face south-southeast (SSE): the Sun stands 62.3° above the horizon at maximum eclipse, at 12:28 PM local time. Never look at it without ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses; ordinary sunglasses are not protection, no matter how dark.
What time exactly is the eclipse in Chicago?
First contact is at 12:16 PM, maximum eclipse at 12:28 PM, and last contact at 12:39 PM local time on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 22 minutes from start to finish.
Do I need eclipse glasses?
Yes. For every second of it. Even at maximum, 99.9% of the Sun's surface is still blazing over Chicago, far more than enough to damage your eyes. Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer.
Will clouds block it?
The latest forecast shows 100% cloud cover over Chicago at maximum eclipse (12:28 PM). Forecasts firm up as the day approaches; check back the evening before for the final call.