For the first time since 1999, a total solar eclipse will be visible from Europe. Although the precise times of the start and the eclipse are known with remarkable precision, the all-important weather is not.
What is a total solar eclipse? By chance, the moon is 200 times smaller but 200 times closer to the Earth than the sun. In the sky, they appear about the same size. At the time of a total solar eclipse, they ARE in exactly the same place in the sky. The Moon blocks out the sun, and if you happen to be in the shadow of the Moon as it falls on the Earth, you get to see one of nature’s most remarkable spectacles.
Of the many online sources, timeanddate.com offers tons of information, including how it will be seen from many places in Spain and the average cloud cover on that date. For many, including me, Spain offers the best prospect of weather in the path of totality lasting 1m 24s from the city of Zaragoza.
Some useful links
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_12,_2026
Simulation: https://eclipse2026spain.es
Lots of Info: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2026-august-12
Best places in Spain: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/spain?iso=20260812
The NASA Solar eclipse site, sadley is no longer maintained but remains a great source of historical and general eclipse information.
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