Total Solar Eclipse Over Spain, Partially Visible in France

Paris – 12 August 2026: A total solar eclipse had large parts of Europe looking to the sky on Wednesday evening. Over northern Spain, the Moon moved completely in front of the Sun within a narrow corridor; in France, the astronomical event could be observed as a partial eclipse. Iceland, Greenland and a small part of Portugal were also within the path of totality.

In Spain, millions of people gathered in cities and smaller towns along the calculated path, according to the Associated Press news agency. Total coverage occurred close to sunset. For a short time, the sky darkened while the Sun’s outer atmosphere became visible around the edge of the black lunar disk. The Sun’s low position above the horizon gave the rare event a special effect, but made viewing more difficult in some places.

In France, part of the solar disk remained visible. The degree of coverage varied considerably depending on location; generally, it was higher in the southwest than in more distant parts of the country. According to calculations by NASA, maximum coverage in Paris reached 92 percent. Because the Sun was already low in the evening, observers in many places needed an unobstructed view to the west. Buildings, hills or dense cloud cover could obscure the spectacle despite the high degree of coverage.

The European Space Agency, ESA, had identified the path of totality for the northern half of Spain. It ran from the Atlantic coast across several mainland regions to the Balearic Islands. Together with experts from the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory, ESA broadcast the event and explained its course.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned almost exactly in a straight line. The Moon then completely covers the solar disk, but only within the narrow umbra that moves across the Earth’s surface. Outside this corridor, the eclipse remains partial. This is why brightness and appearance differed significantly between northern Spain and French observation sites.

The French space agency CNES had warned against looking directly at the Sun. Only specially designed, undamaged eclipse glasses or suitable viewing instruments provide safe protection. Ordinary sunglasses, camera filters and improvised aids are not sufficient. This precaution also applies when coverage is very high, as the visible remainder of the solar disk can permanently damage the retina.

For mainland Spain, it was the first total solar eclipse visible there since 1905. France experienced a particularly pronounced partial eclipse. According to NASA, a total solar eclipse over mainland France will not be visible again until 3 September 2081.