On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will take place, which will be visible as total only in most of the northern half of Spain, the northernmost part of Russian Siberia, the westernmost part of Iceland, and the Danish island of Greenland.
The southern area of Guara Somontano is located in this viewing strip, so we invite you to see it with us.
Why does a solar eclipse occur?
The Totality Phase during a total solar eclipse is a very special moment.
At a scientific level, the explanation is simple: The sun is approximately 400 times larger than the Moon, but coincidentally, the Moon is 400 times closer to Earth than the sun. This makes it so that, from Earth, the two objects apparently show the same size.
During a total solar eclipse, the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun, completely covering the solar disk.
At a physical level?
Wind picks up, due to the sudden change in temperature. Birds stop flying... cows lie down to sleep... dogs become agitated... and suddenly: It becomes night!!! and you discover, astonished, that stars can be seen in the sky.
You don't know how, but your body tells you that something out of the ordinary is happening. You are altered. You look around your surroundings and discover, amazed, that like you, everyone around you is shouting without knowing why.
Have you gone crazy?
No. You are experiencing a total solar eclipse live. The sensation is as wonderful and special as it is indescribable.
If the Moon takes approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth, why isn't there an eclipse every month?
For an eclipse to occur, the sun, the moon, and an observer on Earth must be perfectly aligned. Unfortunately, the moon's orbit around the Earth has a slight inclination of just over 5º with respect to the Earth's orbit around the sun. This small difference turns a phenomenon that could be common into an extraordinary event.
On average, 2 solar eclipses occur annually. Due to the eccentricity of the lunar orbit, most eclipses that occur are partial.
During a total solar eclipse, heading east, a shadow 270 km in diameter travels across our planet at a speed of 3,200 km/h.
On average, a total solar eclipse occurs at the same point on Earth once every 200-300 years.
The last total solar eclipse that occurred in Spanish territory took place in 1959, and was visible only from the Canary Islands. In peninsular territory, it was in August 1905.
There hasn't been an eclipse in continental Europe since August 11, 1999. In those days, we discovered that the next total solar eclipse would be in Spain. We have been waiting for August 12, 2026 for more than 25 years.
