The Iberian Peninsula is fortunate to be the main stage for this decade’s astronomical phenomena: we will experience three eclipses in three years, starting with the one on August 12, the partial eclipse on August 2, 2027, and the annular eclipse on January 26, 2028.
Three astronomical events that, although they may seem to occur regularly when looking at this decade’s calendar, are very rare to observe. In fact, Spain hadn’t experienced a total solar eclipse like the one a few weeks ago for more than 120 years, and hadn’t witnessed an annular eclipse like the one in 2028 for 23 years.
What makes this event exceptional is that the Moon is farther from Earth, so it appears smaller and does not completely cover the Sun’s disk. This creates an optical effect known as the “ring of fire”—a halo of sunlight surrounding the Moon that resembles a sort of black sun.
This phenomenon will last much longer than other eclipses. The peak will occur around 5:53 p.m. and will last about 6 minutes, coinciding with sunset (at an altitude of just 0.2°). This will make it more spectacular, but also more difficult to observe.
This August’s eclipse showed us just how many people are drawn to astro-tourism and how much lodging prices can skyrocket for an event of this kind, especially if you’re booking at the last minute. If you’re thinking of traveling to another area with better visibility, we recommend planning well in advance.
For this eclipse, the critical factor is the Sun’s altitude—it will be almost on the horizon—so ideally, you should find a spot where you can watch the sunset without any obstacles or buildings in the way. An elevated viewpoint overlooking the inland area, such as Montjuïc, could be a good spot.
Areas along the southern coast and in the Llobregat Delta, where the terrain is flat and the horizon is completely unobstructed toward the southwest, offer the best viewing in the province of Barcelona. In Tarragona, visibility will also be very good, with the Sun slightly higher in the sky, though the eclipse will last a bit shorter. Beaches along the Costa Daurada that offer a view of the ocean or agricultural plains—free of buildings—are ideal for this day.
