August

If you live in Madrid and want to see the total eclipse on August 12, write down these 52 towns

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If you are thinking see the solar eclipse on August 12 in the Community of Madrid You will like to know that 52 municipalities have been enabled for this. This was announced by the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Local Administration, Miguel Ángel García Martín, in an informative meeting, as explained from The Economist. There will be observation posts in 51 locations and a festival in another: Buitrago del Lozoya. Of course, it should be noted that not all of the announced municipalities will be able to see the eclipse in its entirety. What is the list of towns to see the solar eclipse in Madrid? The towns announced by the counselor are the following: We are Sierra Prádena del Rincón Braeyes Piñuecar-Gandullas Berzosa del Lozoya The Serna del Monte Gascons Villavieja del Lozoya Old Bridges Gorge of the Mountains Lozoya Canencia Valdepiélagos Cabanillas de la Sierra Navalafuente Coldscraper Talamanca de Jarama Valdeolmos-Alalpardo Torote Ash Soto del Real Meco The Saints of La Humosa Daganzo from Above Pezuela de las Torres Navacerrada Becerril de la Sierra Olmeda de las Fuentes Moralzarzal New Baztan The Mills Ambite Medium Col Manzanares Hole Old Apiary The Molar The Cabrera Saint Augustine of Guadalix San Sebastian de los Reyes Three Songs Villarejo de Salvanés San Lorenzo de El Escorial Robledo de Chavela Villamantilla Chinchon Chapinería Brunete San Martin de Valdeiglesias Navas del Rey Santa María de la Alameda Torrejón de la Calzada Tajuña pear trees Up to Tres Cantos, with this included, are the municipalities within the strip of totality. In the rest, you will only be able to see the solar eclipse partially, since the Moon will not completely cover the Sun and, therefore, the typical night in the middle of the day that characterizes eclipses will not be fully visible. Regarding the festival to be celebrated in Buitrago del Lozoyawill take place in the Riosequillo Swimming Pools Recreational Area and will feature informative, scientific, educational, cultural and family activities. In addition, there will be food trucks, music, children’s games and workshops throughout the day. Is one of the many festivals that will be celebrated throughout Spain on the occasion of this astronomical phenomenon. A map to plan If you want to know how long the totality will last in each of the indicated towns, what the quality of the sky is like or if they are small charming municipalities, you can plan with the help of our interactive map. Furthermore, this is not only useful for observing the solar eclipse in Madrid. You can choose your ideal observation point anywhere in Spain. Start by deciding if you want to see it in the strip of totality or if a partial eclipse closer to home will do. The good part is that next year we will have another total eclipse in Spain and many of the places that have been left out this time will be in its totality strip. Do you want to wait or do you prefer to see it now even if you have to travel? Image | Wikimedia Commons In Xataka | Leo Hernández, eclipse hunter: “I knew that whenever I could or life allowed me, I would try to travel to see more”

August 12, 2026 is going to be crazy for astronomy fans

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The solar eclipse of August 12 It’s going to be special for many reasons.. And it will not be the only astronomical phenomenon that also we can enjoy that day. It will come accompanied by the peak of the perseids and, as a tip, a great planetary alignment. The latter will occur at dawn, the morning of the eclipse, although in part it will also be seen in the early morning of the 13th. So, we can see aligned in the sky the planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It is true that not all of them will be seen with the naked eye, but those who have transported their telescopes and binoculars to see the eclipse can continue to pay for themselves with this other cosmic spectacle. From west to east. The solar eclipse will take place very close to sunset. In fact, at some points the Sun will still be eclipsed. Therefore, to see we will have to find a place to the westwhere the king star will be observed very close to the horizon. On the other hand, to see the planetary alignment the next morning we will have to look to the east, since the planets will appear right where the Sun rises. Not all at first glance. Mars, Saturn and Mercury are the planets that will be best seen with the naked eye. Jupiter will be very bright, but being so low on the horizon, the light from the Sun will make visibility difficult. As for Neptune and Uranus, we will need at least some binoculars to see them. In fact, the least visible is Neptune. With that we would need to get a telescope. The good thing is that, on the occasion of the solar eclipse, there will be many sky observation activities with telescopes and we may have someone nearby who can let us look through theirs. In any case, it should be noted that it is not exactly a straight line. The planets will be seen very close together in the sky, something that does not usually happen, since normally when some are seen, others are hidden. But, despite being known as alignment, they do not exactly draw a straight line. It is best to use applications like Stellarium to know where you should look. Neptune and Uranus are in the alignment, but will not be seen with the naked eye. And what about the Perseids? The peak of the Perseids will also be seen on the night of August 12. But only on the actual night. In the two minutes of absolute darkness that totality will leave us, there will not be enough time for our eyes to adapt to being able to see a shooting star. That’s in case we were really lucky enough for one to happen at that time. However, during the early morning we can continue with the post-eclipse hangover by watching Perseids. Many towns, like Borobia, in Soriahave activities organized around the solar eclipse that also include the observation of this meteor shower. End of holidays. If we have the energy to spend the entire night watching Perseids, the perfect finishing touch may be the final blow of the planetary alignment. Of course, August 12, 2026 is an ideal date to mark on the calendar of astro-amateurs. Besides, who knows? Even those who have never experienced that attraction to astronomy may feel the call of the sky on this special day. Image | Illustrative image from Maginific In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

the towns with the Starlight seal that are preparing for the total eclipse on August 12

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When watching a solar eclipse we can make many different decisions. It is possible to see it within the range of totality or to “conform” with partiality. We have the option of looking only at the Sun or delighting in the changes happening around us. We can even see it directly, with approved glassesor indirectly, with a pinhole camera. But if there is something that makes a lot of difference when it comes to seeing one of these spectacles that astronomy gives us, it is a sky free of light pollution. At least, as free as possible. Therefore, the Starlight reservations and destinations They are ideal places for those who want to see the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. What are Starlight certifications? The Starlight Seal is delivered to spaces in which a commitment has been established to defend the quality of the night sky and access to starlight. The decision to deliver these certifications was made at the 2009 meeting of the Starlight Initiative of the ‘Working Group on Reserves and World Heritage’ organized by UNESCO, with the support of the International Union of Astronomy and the World Tourism Organization. There are different types of Starlight certifications, although the two most common are Starlight reserves and Starlight tourist destinations. Normally, the first is delivered to natural spaces and consists, in turn, of three defined zones: Core zone: Where the natural lighting conditions and sharpness of the night sky are kept intact. Buffer zone: It surrounds the core zone and cushions possible adverse effects that may deteriorate the quality of your night sky. These zones may include small human settlements and activity areas. General area area: It consists of the general use area in which population settlements are located that can influence the evolution of the quality of the night sky of the entire reserve. With respect to Starlight tourist destinations, they are visitable places that have very good qualities for contemplating the starry skies and that, being protected from light pollution, become ideal places to carry out astrotourism activities. Beyond these two types, even towns and cities, parks, landscapes, trails, campsites and hotels and rural houses can also receive the Starlight seal independently. What are the Starlight destinations and reservations in Spain? Starligh certification is not at all easy to obtain. The requirements are very strict, so there are few natural sites and destinations that have it around the world. In the case of Spain, we have more than 70 destinations and more than 20 Starlight reservations. The largest reserve in the world is Sierra Morenain Andalusia, with more than 400,000 hectares distributed among 57 municipalities and six natural parks. But Sierra Morena is not in the zone of totality of the solar eclipse. We will be able to enjoy its skies during partiality. It is also a good plan for people from the south who do not want to travel too far. However, it is worth knowing the places with said certification that are within the totality range. What are the Starlight destinations to see the solar eclipse? Within the solar eclipse totality band there are 31 Starlight destinations. The greatest concentration of these destinations is in the autonomous communities of Galicia, Navarra and Aragón, although there are also other points scattered throughout the rest of the autonomous communities that make up said strip. Some of the Starlight destinations contain activities of interest for the eclipse, such as the ringing of bells that will ring in the Navarrese town of Lerín or the activities for the whole family at the observatory Borobia, in Soria. In addition, it should be noted that the Allande area, in Asturias, is the Starlight destination where the totality will last the longest, with 1 minute and 48 seconds. If you have questions about the place where you are going to see the solar eclipse and want to know if it has the Starlight destination seal, You can see it on our interactive map. Above all, remember not only to look for Starlight destinations, but also observation points clear of mountains, buildings or trees in the west, since that is where the Sun will be seen at the time the eclipse will take place. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

The residents of this Soria town are going to host tourists in their own homes for the August eclipse

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The entire strip of solar eclipse what will be seen in Spain this August 12, 2026 has fallen into a curious area. Many of the best-positioned towns belong to emptied Spain, a region to which, possibly, people who would never have considered including them in their vacations will travel. These people will be lucky enough to discover very charming places and, why not? a different way of tourism. Eclipses are spectacular phenomena, with very good press, that attract people from all over the world; but, in reality, astronomical tourism is a reality that more and more travelers joinregardless of whether there are extreme events on the calendar. And the truth is that within the totality strip there are towns that have been exploiting this form of tourism for a long time. This is, for example, the case of Borobia. This Soria town of 218 inhabitants It has an astronomical observatory in which informative activities have been carried out for 24 years. I have been able to speak with Azahara Rojas Ronceroastrophysicist and astronomer at said observatory, to tell me what plans they have for the solar eclipse. The reality is that, despite the small size of the town, they tend to always have a lot of people in their astronomical tourism activities. However, like many other towns, this phenomenon will allow them to have their fill. Never better said. Borobia, an ideal place to see the solar eclipse Borobia, like most of the province of Soria, has the Starlight seal. That means that They have skies with very little light pollution, ideal for observing the firmament. Many of the points that are within the band of totality of the solar eclipse this August have this certificate. However, Borobia has added advantages. On this occasion, the eclipse will occur at a time very close to sunset, so we will have to look to the west to see it. There, according to Rojas Roncero, lies Borobia’s great advantage. “In Borobia we have the hills right on the other side, on the east side, and the flatter area faces us to the west area,” he explains. “Therefore, the observation point is perfect, because we have a very open horizon and right on the other side we have a high area where we can see it.” For her, it has been a kind of gift from heaven for having been looking at it for 24 years. The ideal date This solar eclipse will be located in a perfect area, with wonderful skies to see it. But it will also take place at a unique moment, coinciding with the peak of the perseids. During the two minutes of totality you will be able to see some of the brightest stars in the sky, but hardly a Perseid. For that we need more time in the dark, eyes well adapted to it and a little luck. However, those who have taken advantage of the solar eclipse to start astrotourism have an appointment with the sky once the Sun has completely left. Borobia Observatory In fact, Borobia is an ideal site for these observations. Not just because of everything we have already seen. Also because in their Observatory they carry out activities such as March of the Perseidsin which visitors will take a night walk, while listening to legends of mythology and looking at the sky in search of a Perseid. In addition, at the end of the route there are telescopes ready for observation. Other activities Both on the day of the solar eclipse and the days before and after it, a multitude of activities will be carried out in Borobia, including night and day observations of the sky, walks through the Perseids, workshops and presentations by experts from the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands and the Astronomy Classroom of Armilla (Granada). There will even be concerts and food trucks. a whole festival to enjoy the sky of Soria in such a special event. What about accommodations? Borobia is a very small municipality, with very few accommodations; that, the same as in Puertomingalvo and many other towns in the totality strip, have been full for more than a year. For this reason, the town has used its imagination to be able to serve all the tourists who will travel there for the solar eclipse. To begin, Rojas Roncero says that camping areas have been set upwith access to bathrooms and showers. But this is not enough if the thousands of people who are believed to be able to travel there arrive. That’s why, An appeal has been made to the residents of Borobia themselveslooking for some who are willing to rent rooms in their houses. The request has been well received and several have agreed to accommodate tourists who come there on the occasion of the solar eclipse. What else can you see in Borobia? We have seen that Borobia is an ideal place for astronomical tourism. But the good thing about this tourism is that it goes very well with other ways of visiting new places. It is often a magnificent occasion to enjoy a perfect blend of heritage and nature. In the case of this town in Soria, those who travel there you will be able to enjoy of monuments such as the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Medieval Castle. In addition, they will enjoy natural sites such as the Gandalia lagoon, the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Santos and the Sabinar de Ciria y Borobia. All of these enclaves are perfect for hiking, with routes such as the Vuelta al Moncayo and the Yeseras. Hermitage of Our Lady of Saints In short, Borobia is an ideal place to enjoy the solar eclipse while discovering those hidden treasures of emptied Spain. For those responsible for the observatory, this eclipse will be a gift from heaven, but surely its visitors will not be left indifferent either. Image | Diego Delso | Borobia Observatory In Xataka | Leo … Read more

If you are going to see the eclipse on August 12, science needs you

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The Generalitat of Catalonia, the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) and the Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR) have just announced a citizen science initiative aimed at analyzing how a total solar eclipse affects the health and physiology of human beings. There is enough data on how they affect these astronomical phenomena to other animals, but there is hardly any information about humans. For this reason, these institutions have launched the Solaris application, with which they hope to gather around 5,000 people to participate in a study whose results will be known at the end of September. The requirements. To participate in this citizen science project A series of requirements must be met. First of all, you need to download the Solaris application and have a smartwatch or any similar activity device that measures, at a minimum, heart rate. Data must be taken for five consecutive days: the two days before the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, the day of the eclipse and the two days after. It is important that the recordings have time references and, also, that intense exercise is not practiced during the measurements. What you want to measure. Mainly, those responsible for this research are interested in knowing how experiencing a solar eclipse affects heart rate and respiratory rate. Two important factors coincide in this type of event. On the one hand, the excitement of seeing something newwhich on many occasions has never been witnessed. And, on the other, the incoherence of a short dusk in the middle of the day. The fact that light disappears when it is not appropriate and then appears again a few minutes later can affect the mechanisms involved in circadian rhythms. It is true that it is something very specific, but it would be interesting to see if detectable effects actually occur at a physiological level. The results. The total solar eclipse will take place on August 12. Once the application is synchronized with the smart watch, the data reaches the researchers directly, thanks to OneCareAI technology, which allows data to be collected safely and anonymously. Once all the data has been collected, it will be processed to carry out a first draft of the study, which will be made public at the end of September. It won’t take long for participants to know the results. And what about the animals? There is a lot of information documented on how a total solar eclipse affects animals. For example, it has been seen that birds sing a lot, dogs bark and cattle go to the stables, only to return to the pasture again. Activity has also been detected in nocturnal animals, such as bats or some birds. When daylight comes, they return to their hiding places, clearly confused. It has even been documented how eclipses affect some plants, which normally tend to open their flowers at night. Although it is not yet time, we often see how the flowers are seen ahead of time due to the darkness. Beyond all this, we have no idea how the solar eclipse will affect ourselves. Thanks to this Catalan study, we will have information for the first time. Nothing like it has ever been done in the entire world. Do you dare to participate? Image | Magnificent In Xataka | A third of Spain will be completely dark for a minute or two. The astronomical event of the century is approaching

In 2014, French television imagined August 2050 as hell. This week’s heat wave has already overcome it

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Looking at the map of Europe this week is terrifying. In the United Kingdom, the Met Office has activated its second red notice for extreme heat in history and expect up to 40°C between Wednesday and Thursday. In France, thermometers They recorded 43 ° C on MondayParis is on red alert and Météo-France compares the severity of the episode with that of August 2003a heat wave that left tens of thousands dead on the continent. The situation is so delirious that it is indistinguishable from what more than 10 years ago, in 2014, the French TF1 He gave as an example for August 2050. In Spain, we take extreme heat almost for granted. Further north it turns Europe into a mousetrap. The disturbing thing about this ‘heat wave’ is, above all, the strength and persistence it has in areas where we would not expect it to have it. And, faced with this stupor, scientists have done what they do best: search scientific journals. And there is one that explained everything in quite detail. In June 2022, ‘Nature Communications’ published a paper that argued that European heat waves have grown three to four times faster than in the rest of the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Europe is one of the hot spots in the temperate part of the world. The jet stream has a lot to do with this. What is the ‘jet stream’… “Jet streams” are large flows of air that distribute heat and cold throughout the entire planet. There are several, but the main one for us is the polar one, which circulates at very northern latitudes. These currents arise in the border zone between two air masses with different properties and, for this reason, they have a crucial role in balancing the climate and meteorological phenomena of the Earth. …and what does it have to do with all this? As the temperature differences between these two air masses decrease, the current loses strength, becomes more erratic, undulates in an exaggerated manner and generates structures like the current one that encapsulates the air of Western Europe without allowing it to cool. It’s good news, right? We know what’s happening. Yes and no. We are clear about the mechanism responsible for, for now, up to 35% variability of temperature in Western Europe; The problem is that we don’t know why the current is changing. The most popular hypothesis, that of Warmer arctic rippling jethas been for years discussed: There are works that see this trend reversed and models that do not reproduce the effect. The rest of the options are varied, but inconclusive: from an effect of aerosols to a collateral impact of the dynamics of the tropical Pacific. Be that as it may, everyone seems to sense that climate change is behind it, but no one is clear how it is. Above all, because all our climate models fall short. And then? What the undulation of the jet guarantees is greater climate variability: enormous heat waves, torrential rains, untimely cold… Europe must prepare. In Xataka | We humans have been discussing what hell is for thousands of years and AEMET already has the answer: France and Spain this weekend

so we can see the August solar eclipse

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Next August 12 you can see the new solar eclipseand it is especially relevant because we have not seen such a spectacular eclipse since 1912. That is why we must be careful when it comes to seeing it and choosing glasses that are approved. Okay, but… what glasses should I buy? Stores like El Corte Inglés did not want to miss this event and have added some other approved glasses to their catalog, being Hawkers one of the most interesting. The reason is that they can be purchased in the online store for only 3.99 euros. Hawkers, approved glasses for solar eclipses The price could vary. We earn commission from these links The new Hawkers are intended for solar eclipses Hawkers glasses are approved with regulations ISO 12312-2which is basically a specific international certification for direct sun observation filters. In addition, it is worth mentioning that they are manufactured in Spain, thus ensuring the traceability and quality of the materials. The funny thing is that these glasses are designed to be comfortable, and they are The temples can be folded and the frame can be adjusted to make them more ergonomic. Furthermore, as the brand mentions, these glasses have a useful life of 10 years from their manufacture, so they will serve you for a long time. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that Not all Autonomous Communities will see the solar eclipse in the same way. We invite you to take a look at the eclipse map to know what it will look like in your neighborhood or city. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: Hawkers glasses for solar eclipses ✅ THE BEST Adjustment levels: allows you to adjust both the temples and the frame so that they are comfortable. Its useful life: The glasses have a useful life of 10 years from their manufacture. They are approved. ❌ THE WORST Shipping costs: They cost more (5.90 euros) than the glasses themselves. 💡 BUY IT IF… You want to see the next solar eclipse and are looking for approved glasses to see it. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You find the glasses in another store where you do not have to pay shipping costs, or they are lower. You may also be interested Galaxium 12x Solar Eclipse Glasses Approved ISO 12312-2 – AAS 2026 Approved – CE Certified – Safe for Direct Observation – Glasses to View Solar Eclipse The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Helioclipse 6 Solar Eclipse Glasses for Viewing the 2026 Solar Eclipse, Safe Solar Eclipse Glasses for Solar Eclipse Observation The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Jongsun Lee in UnsplashHawkers In Xataka | The mobile phones with the best camera 2026: next level photography in your pocket In Xataka | Best wireless over-ear headphones. Which one to buy and five recommended models

A meteorologist has analyzed 30 years of Spanish skies to see if you should worry about not seeing the eclipse on August 12

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Can you imagine spending a fortune on a trip? to emptied Spain to enjoy a show that will only last a couple of minutes and at the moment of truth the clouds arrive and prevent you from seeing it? That will be what will happen this summer if we are unlucky enough that the skies in the totality zones of the August 12 eclipse become cloudy. Unfortunately, until 3 or 4 days before we will not know what will happen. Weather predictions cannot be made any further in advance, what more would we like. However, you can do an analysis of what has happened in previous years, right in that place and on that date of the year. The meteorologist Benito Fuentes has been in charge of doing it and we can see the results in your X account (formerly Twitter). 30 years of observations. The meteorologist has analyzed what happened on August 12 at 8:00 p.m. in the Spanish skies over the last 30 years. Although the totality of this year’s eclipse will be reached around 8:30 p.m., the eclipse itself will start at 7:30 p.m.. That’s why he chose 8:00 p.m. The bad thing is that in your analysis you can see that in some of the points of the totality strip, half of August 12 have had too many clouds to be able to see an eclipse with peace of mind. Not all clouds are the same. The meteorologist has paid special attention to medium and low cloudssince the high ones allow the passage of light, so that it could be seen when the eclipse “turn it off”. Just a little cloudy skies. Another important fact that the meteorologist clarifies is that, due to the time at which the eclipse will take place, quite close to sunset, a few poorly positioned clouds are enough to ruin the show. It is not necessary for the skies to be completely cloudy. He has used 35% cloud cover as a threshold from which to start worrying. Not all positions are equal. Precisely also because of the time close to sunset, the clouds that would spoil the eclipse are those that are towards the west, where the sun sets. A few clouds to the west would be much worse than a completely closed sky above our heads. Don’t panic. These data are not a prediction, far from it. Just because half of the August twelfths have been problematically cloudy in the last 30 years does not mean that this year will be cloudy as well. With the predictions that can be made in the previous days, it will be possible to recalculate to a certain extent. the place to observe the eclipse. It’s not worth worrying ahead of time. That little bit of mystery and uncertainty also makes what is to come very interesting. And the good thing is that, if we can’t see it, we can always go hunting for the other two components of the Iberian trio of eclipses. Image | Magnific/NASA In Xataka | A third of Spain will be completely dark for a minute or two. The astronomical event of the century is approaching

It is the key day if you do not want a tree to ruin the August eclipse

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Can you imagine preparing everything to see the solar eclipse this August 12 and that right at the moment of truth there is a tree that blocks your views? This is more common than it seems, but don’t worry: it can be prevented with a simple drill. This April 30 is the ideal time to do it. a symmetrical orbit. Due to the symmetrical orbit of our planet, the Sun describes exactly the same arc in the sky on two dates of the year with the same separation from the solstice. You could say that they are twin dates when it comes to the location of the Sun in the sky. The date symmetrical to August 12 is April 30. That’s why, from the official website of the Trio of Eclipses They recommend that this Thursday we go to the place we have chosen to see the eclipse and check that we have good visibility of the Sun. We must do it at 8:30 p.m., as that will be when the occultation occurs in August. This way, we will avoid disappointment when push comes to shove. If the place is bad. If at 8:30 p.m. there is an obstacle that makes it difficult for us to see the Sun, we have time to change the location. Just walk around the area and look for that place where you can see the Sun directly, with nothing in the way to prevent it. If you can’t that day: In case you cannot go to the chosen place on April 30, don’t worry. Two days before and after also good results are obtained. Always at the same time, of course. The bad thing is having to travel. Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be seen equally throughout Spain. It will only be observed in its entirety in a strip that goes from the north of Galicia to almost all of the Balearic Islands, passing through Asturias, Cantabria, La Rioja, the north of Castilla y León and the Valencian Community, La Rioja, and a part of the Basque Country, Navarra, Madrid, Aragon, Catalonia and Castilla la Mancha. In the rest of the country it will be a partial eclipse. For this reason, many people will travel far from their homes on August 12, in search of a luckier environment. Some music and art festivals have even been organized around this astronomical phenomenon.. In case you have decided to travel far, it will not be so easy to do a drill. There you will only have to trust that the locals have done it and can give you a hand when the time comes. More eclipses. The one on August 12 will be the first of what is known as Iberian Trio of Eclipses. And in mainland Spain we will enjoy three consecutive years with a solar eclipse. The dates will be August 12, 2026, August 2, 2027 and January 26, 2028. Those in 2026 and 2027 will be total. That of 2028, cancel. Since they will be seen in different parts of the country, almost all of us will have a more or less close point to which we can travel to see it. And, of course, there will always be a symmetrical date on which to carry out the drill. For now, let’s go step by step and start with the rehearsals on April 30. Even the first Spanish woman astronaut, Sara García Alonso, has echoed these advice. If you have the opportunity, be sure to take the test. You will avoid having to run on August 12. Image | POT In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

If you have been excited because your city will see the August eclipse at 95%, we have something to tell you

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This summer we will have the first of the three eclipses that will make up in Spain the already known as the Iberian Trio. This will consist of two totals, in 2026 and 2027, and an annular one in 2028. For months, the places in which totality will be reached They have begun to organize all kinds of events to commemorate this phenomenon. Meanwhile, in the less fortunate points, where the Moon will not completely hide the Sun, we are left to look at what percentage of the sun will be obscured. If you have seen that in your city the eclipse will be 95%, you may have thought that that is already a lot. But the difference between that and the totality is abysmal. The Moon in the middle. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Sun, and Moon align in such a way that the Moon completely obscures the Sun for some observers on Earth. The areas of the Earth where the complete phenomenon can be seen are within what is known as the strip of totality. It is basically that, a strip of the map in which the lucky points are included. In these places, begins to see little by little how the lunar disk hides the solar disk. Then, after a few seconds or minutes of totality, in which the occultation is complete, the reverse process occurs. The sun is gradually uncovering, revealing more and more light. During the time of totality, it becomes completely night. Bias is not the same. When an eclipse is partial, part of the occultation of the Sun is seen, but it is not completely visible. Those seconds or minutes of totality do not take place. It is usually calculated what will be the maximum percentage of the Sun that will be covered. That’s why we talk about eclipses of 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%… Logically, the higher that percentage, the better, but even if it is a very high percentage, the spectacle is not even close to that of a total solar eclipse. As if it were cloudy. The Sun is very bright. So much so that even a tiny uncovered fraction will be enough to illuminate the Earth. That’s why, as explained in Forbes University of Texas astronomer Angela Speckwhen the percentage is very high, the effect that we observers see is similar to that of a cloudy day. But that dusk does not occur during the day that has so fascinated humans throughout history. Weather conditions matter. In the same article of Forbesretired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak explained that weather conditions and pollution also greatly influence the visualization of these phenomena. “If you have a lot of scattered clouds and aerosol particles in the air, they will scatter the light into the shadow, making the eclipse brighter.” Instead, “if you have a very clear atmosphere without clouds or particles, then there is less scattering of the atmosphere and it is much darker in the shadow.” The lucky places. The strip of totality of the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026 goes from Greenland to the Balearic Islands. Therefore, there will be many places in the north of Spain in which that daytime dusk will be seen. Specifically, they will be the north of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, La Rioja, the north of Castilla y León and the Valencian Community, La Rioja, and a part of the Basque Country, Navarra, Madrid, Aragon, Catalonia and Castilla la Mancha. Of course, also almost all the Balearic Islands. Still, a partial eclipse is also a rare phenomenon worth watching. If you are not in the zone of totality, do not suffer, you will be able to see something wonderful. Image | POT In Xataka | The trio of eclipses that await Spain on the horizon: an unprecedented and historic chain between 2026 and 2028

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