Millions of people witnessed one of Europe’s most spectacular astronomical events in decades as a total solar eclipse crossed Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain on August 12, 2026. In Spain, the event was particularly unusual because totality occurred late in the evening, with the Sun already low above the horizon. Daylight briefly disappeared, the sky darkened and, after totality ended, spectators were able to watch the Sun return before setting. The path of totality crossed northern Spain from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and reached the Balearic Islands. Areas around Bilbao, Zaragoza, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca were among the locations where totality could be observed. Madrid and Barcelona remained outside the path of totality, although the Moon still covered most of the solar disk there. In some parts of Spain, complete darkness lasted around a minute. Shortly before totality, spectators could see Baily’s beads – bright points of sunlight created by the irregular surface of the Moon – before the Sun was completely covered and its corona became visible.
Interest in the event was enormous. Spanish authorities expected up to around six million visitors to travel to different parts of the country to witness the eclipse, while accommodation in some of the best viewing areas was booked well in advance. Professional astronomers, photographers and tourists from around the world gathered at observation sites, with telescopes and protective eclipse glasses widely used. The event was also visible from Iceland, where totality reached the western part of the country despite cloudy conditions in some areas. A partial eclipse was visible across a much wider region of Europe, including Britain, Ireland, France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Central Europe and parts of the Balkans.
The August 12 eclipse was Western Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years and marked the beginning of an unusual sequence of major eclipses for Spain. Another total solar eclipse will cross southern Spain, North Africa and parts of the Middle East on August 2, 2027, while an annular solar eclipse will be visible from Spain on January 26, 2028. For many spectators on August 12, the evening therefore ended in an extraordinary sequence – daylight disappeared as the Moon moved in front of the Sun, returned briefly after totality and then faded again as the Sun naturally set below the horizon.
