On August 12, 2026, the skies over Spain will be the setting for one of the most spectacular phenomena nature has to offer: a total solar eclipse. To ensure that no one misses a single detail of this historic event, the National Geographic Institute (IGN) has made an advanced Eclipse Viewer available to the public.
Accessible via the website visualizadores.ign.es/eclipses/2026, this new interactive web application has been designed to be the definitive guide for both amateur astronomers and the general public.
What does this new visualizer offer?
Upon entering the platform, users are greeted with an interactive map of the Iberian Peninsula and the archipelagos. It’s extremely intuitive to use: simply zoom in and click on any town, mountain, or beach from which you plan to observe the phenomenon.
The system instantly displays a technical summary with the exact data calculated for that specific latitude and longitude:
- Start of the partial phase: The exact moment when the Moon will begin to “bite” into the Sun’s disk.
- Start of totality: The critical moment when the Sun will be completely obscured (in areas within the path of totality, which will cross the northern and eastern parts of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the Balearic Islands).
- Maximum duration: The exact number of minutes and seconds that total darkness will last at that location.
- End of the eclipse: The moment when the Sun will shine fully again.
Last-minute preparations
With just one week to go before the highly anticipated August 12, traffic on the IGN website is already reaching record highs. Scientific authorities recommend using this official tool not only to plan a trip to totality zones but also to find out how the eclipse will appear in areas where it will be only partial (such as in southern Spain and the Canary Islands).
The IGN reminds users that, regardless of their location and the data provided by the viewer, it is essential to always observe the sun with certified eclipse glasses, as looking directly at the sun without protection can cause irreversible eye damage.
If you’re still unsure where you’ll experience the darkest moments of 2026, the IGN’s interactive map is your best place to start.
