Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Total Solar Eclipse Plunges Iceland and Spain Into Darkness
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves right in front of the Sun and blocks its light.
On Wednesday, this happened over parts of Europe, and daytime suddenly turned dark for a little while.
People in Iceland and Spain saw the sky go dark right in the middle of the day.
The Sun's outer glow, called the corona, was visible around the Moon's dark shape.
It was Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
Many people in Spain went to parks and open fields with special glasses to watch.
When the sky went dark, the crowds cheered and clapped.
Videos of the event spread quickly online.
One popular video showed the eclipsed Sun above sunflower fields in Castrojeriz, Spain.
It was the first total eclipse on Spain's mainland in more than 100 years.
Europe witnessed its first total solar eclipse in 27 years on Wednesday, August 12.
The path of totality stretched roughly 290–300 kilometres wide across Iceland and Spain.
Thousands of spectators in Spain gathered outdoors, cheering as daylight turned to darkness.
Totality lasted up to about 1 minute and 48 seconds in parts of Spain.
Viral videos from Castrojeriz and Tarragona captured the event, Spain's first mainland total eclipse since 1912.
- Who
- Skywatchers and crowds in Iceland and Spain, who shared videos on social media.
- What
- A total solar eclipse crossed parts of Europe, plunging areas of Iceland and Spain into brief darkness.
- When
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
- Where
- Parts of Europe, including Iceland, northern Spain, the Mediterranean region and the Balearic Islands.
- Why
- The Moon passed directly between Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the solar disc along the path of totality.
- Event
- Total solar eclipse
- Date
- August 12, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Affected areas
- Iceland, Spain, Mediterranean region and the Balearic Islands
- Path of totality width
- Roughly 290–300 kilometres
- Maximum totality duration in Spain
- About 1 minute and 48 seconds
- First total eclipse in Europe in
- 27 years
- Last total eclipse on Spain's mainland
- 1912
- Viral viewing locations
- Castrojeriz and Tarragona, Spain