Wednesday, 12 August 2026, at sunset

Night will fall in broad daylight

The first total solar eclipse over mainland Spain in more than a century. The path of totality crosses northern Spain and the Balearic Islands. After 2027, the next one won't come until 2053.

Where can I see it? →☁️ Will it be clear? Alert me
—days
—hours
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until totality

☁️ Will the sky be clear that day?

Clouds are the eclipse's big unknown. Leave your email and days before we'll send the cloud forecast for your area, plus a plan B inside the path if things look bad. No spam — just the eclipse.

The essentials

A ~290 km wide path of totality crossing northern Spain from west to east, plus the Balearic Islands.
Inside (or right on the edge): A Coruña, Lugo, Oviedo, León, Palencia, Valladolid, Zamora (edge), Segovia, Burgos, Soria, Santander, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Logroño, Guadalajara, Cuenca, Zaragoza, Teruel, Lleida, Tarragona, Castelló, València, Palma, Eivissa and Maó.
Madrid and Barcelona are JUST outside: they'll see a ~99% partial eclipse. 99% is not total — to see the corona you must be inside the path.
The Sun will be very low: from ~2° (Balearics) to ~12° (Galicia). You need a completely clear west-northwest horizon.
Totality lasts up to ~1 min 48 s on the centre line (Oviedo–León area); shorter towards the edges and the east.
Times (CEST): partial phase starts ~19:30, maximum ~20:26–20:35 depending on the city, ends ~21:20 with the Sun setting.

Will it be total in your city?

A CoruñaAlbaceteAlicanteAlmeríaÁvilaBadajozBarcelonaBilbaoBurgosCáceresCádizCastelló de la PlanaCeutaCiudad RealCórdobaCuencaEivissaGironaGranadaGuadalajaraHuelvaHuescaJaénLas Palmas de Gran CanariaLeónLleidaLogroñoLugoMadridMálagaMaóMelillaMurciaOurenseOviedoPalenciaPalmaPamplonaPontevedraSalamancaDonostia-San SebastiánSanta Cruz de TenerifeSantanderSegoviaSevillaSoriaTarragonaTeruelToledoValènciaValladolidVitoria-GasteizZamoraZaragoza

👓 Protect your eyes

Outside totality, looking at the Sun without certified protection causes permanent retinal damage, even when it's almost fully covered.

  • ALWAYS use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses, undamaged and from a reputable seller.
  • Sunglasses, CDs, X-ray film, smoked glass or phone screens do NOT work. Ever.
  • Only during totality (corona visible, Sun 100% covered) can you look without a filter. The instant the first ray reappears, glasses back on.
  • Binoculars, telescopes and cameras need dedicated solar filters on the front.
  • Watch children especially closely during the partial phases.

☄️ And that very night… the Perseids

12 August 2026 coincides with the Perseid meteor shower's peak and a new Moon (the very Moon eclipsing the Sun): perfect conditions.

The perfect plan: totality at sunset, a relaxed dinner, then shooting stars after midnight under a dark sky. In places like the Soria pine forests or the Maestrat you won't even need to move.

Frequently asked questions

▸Is 99% from Madrid or Barcelona really not enough?

No. At 99% obscuration the sky dims a little and it gets cooler, but you will NOT see the corona or the stars, and night will not fall. The difference between 99% and 100% is literally day and night. Madrid is under an hour's drive from the path: travel.

▸Why do you keep going on about the western horizon?

Because the eclipse happens at sunset with the Sun between 2° and 12° high. At that altitude, any hill, building or tree line to the west-northwest will block it. Being inside the path isn't enough: you must see the horizon.

▸How long does totality last?

Up to ~1 min 48 s on the centre line (Oviedo–León area). It shortens towards the edges of the path and towards the east: in the Balearics it's roughly 1 min–1 min 40 s depending on the spot.

▸What if it's cloudy?

If clouds sit on the western horizon you won't see the eclipsed Sun (though you'll still experience the darkness). That's why we give a cloud forecast for your exact spot and recommend a plan B within a 1–2 hour drive inside the path.

▸Do I need glasses during totality?

During the ~1–2 minutes of totality (Sun 100% covered, corona visible) you can and should look without a filter — that's the show. Before and after, ISO 12312-2 glasses at all times.

▸When is the next one?

On 2 August 2027 another total eclipse will be visible from southern Spain (Cádiz, Málaga…). After that, mainland Spain won't see another until 2053. The 2026 one is also the first in over a century.

▸Can I photograph it with my phone?

Yes — especially the landscape during totality (darkness, 360° orange horizon). For the Sun during partial phases you need a solar filter in front of the lens. And don't spend totality staring at a screen: it's over very fast.