Total eclipse of August 12, 2026: An exceptional astronomical phenomenon in Spain
An eclipse that attracts the whole world
On the next August 12, 2026, during the celebration of the Semana Grande of Gijón, this city will be one of the most privileged places in the world to enjoy the first total solar eclipse of the 21st century in Continental Europe and the first one that can be seen in the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century. This is an astronomical phenomenon that is expected to attract a large number of visitors to the city, which represents a real challenge in terms of health, safety and mobility.
The totality path will cross Spain from west to east
During the evening of Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the totality path of this eclipse will cross Spain from west to east, passing through numerous provincial capitals from A Coruña to Palma, including Oviedo, León, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia. As it will occur when the sun is setting very close to the horizon, it will be necessary to observe the eclipse from places with good visibility towards the west.
A unique opportunity in more than a century
This total solar eclipse will be the first visible from the Iberian Peninsula in over 100 years. After this event, the next total solar eclipse visible in Spain will take place on August 2, 2027, followed by another annular eclipse on January 26, 2028. It will not be possible to observe another total solar eclipse from Spain until 2053.
Exhaustive preparation for a unique experience
The Gijón City Council has set up a working group with various experts and entities to address this phenomenon from different areas, such as eye health, safety, traffic and mobility. The objective is to ensure that attendees enjoy this unique astronomical experience in a safe and satisfactory manner.
Check the details of the eclipse in your city
To know the evolution of the eclipse in each provincial capital, visit the 'From the provincial capitals' section of the website. There you can check the schedules, the duration of totality and the height of the sun at the time of the eclipse.