3 weeks ago
Tiny Spanish Village Braces for Rare Eclipse and Meteor Shower
On August 12, something very special will happen in the sky.
A tiny village in Spain called Avellanosa de Muno will be in the perfect spot to see a total solar eclipse.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes right in front of the Sun and blocks all its light.
This will be the first time a total solar eclipse can be seen from mainland Spain since 1912, and from mainland Europe since 1999.
The eclipse will happen just before sunset, so the sky will get dark twice in just a few minutes.
Later that same night, the Perseid meteor shower will peak, filling the sky with shooting stars.
Only about 10 people live in the village all year round.
But thousands of visitors from across Europe are expected to come and watch.
Hotels and rooms near the village have been booked well in advance.
The village is a great place to look at the sky because it is open and dark, with no bright city lights.
Avellanosa de Muno, a village in Burgos, Spain, with only around 10 permanent residents, is bracing for a rare celestial double-header.
The total solar eclipse on August 12 will be the first visible from mainland Spain since 1912 and from mainland Europe since 1999.
The eclipse will occur just before sunset, creating an extremely rare 'double darkness' effect with two dark spells within minutes.
Later the same night, the annual Perseid meteor shower will peak, offering a second spectacle for skywatchers, the BBC reported.
Accommodation across the surrounding region is booked well in advance, with the nearby Parador de Lerma fully booked for the eclipse since 2022.
- Who
- Thousands of visitors from across Europe, astronomy enthusiasts, and the roughly 10 permanent residents of Avellanosa de Muno.
- What
- A rare total solar eclipse followed by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower on the same night, including an extremely rare 'double darkness' effect.
- Where
- Avellanosa de Muno, a tiny village in the province of Burgos, northern Spain.
- When
- August 12, with the eclipse occurring just before sunset.
- Why
- The village sits directly beneath the path of totality and offers open, uninterrupted views of the western horizon with little artificial lighting.
Key facts
- Village
- Avellanosa de Muno
- Location
- Province of Burgos, northern Spain
- Permanent residents
- Around 10
- Event date
- August 12
- First total solar eclipse from mainland Spain since
- 1912
- First total solar eclipse from mainland Europe since
- 1999
- Second event
- Peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower
- Parador de Lerma
- Fully booked for the eclipse since 2022
Sources
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