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Total solar eclipse to cross Spain on August 12

A total solar eclipse will bring daytime darkness to parts of Spain, Portugal, Greenland and Iceland on August 12, with maximum totality off Iceland's west coast.

  • Totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds, but by the time it reaches Spain it will have dwindled to about a minute.
  • A partial eclipse will be visible across Canada, the northern US, much of Europe and West Africa, with 94% coverage in Dublin and 83% in Oslo.
  • The same day will feature a six-planet alignment before dawn and the Perseid meteor shower peaking after nightfall.

A total solar eclipse will cross mainland Spain on August 12 for the first time in more than 100 years, bringing daytime darkness close to sunset across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as parts of Greenland and Iceland.

The moon's shadow will travel from near the North Pole southwards, with totality lasting up to two minutes and 18 seconds. Maximum totality will occur off Iceland's west coast, and by the time the eclipse reaches Portugal and Spain, totality will have reduced to about a minute.

A partial eclipse will be visible much more widely, including in Canada, the northern US, much of Europe and West Africa. The sun will be 94% covered in Dublin, 83% in Oslo, 18% in Montreal, 9% in New York and 2% in Norfolk, Virginia.

Viewers are advised to use special eclipse glasses, even if only a small part of the sun is visible.

The same day will feature six planets forming an arc before dawn and the Perseid meteor shower peaking after nightfall, with meteors potentially visible during totality.

Why this matters: This is the first total solar eclipse to hit mainland Spain in over a century, and it coincides with a meteor shower and a planetary alignment, making it a rare celestial event for millions of observers.

What this means for you: If you are in the path of totality or a partial eclipse zone, you will need special eclipse glasses to view the event safely.

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