The solar eclipse on August 12 will offer an uneven spectacle, depending on the point in Spain from which it is observed. The path of totality — where the Moon will completely cover the Sun for a maximum of almost two minutes — will cover about 40% of the territory. In the rest of the country, the phenomenon will be partial, with varying degrees of coverage depending on the location.
The following interactive map allows you to compare times, percentage of coverage, and duration, three key factors to understand the intensity of the event. It also shows the band of totality and the central line — the optimal place for observation, as it is where the phenomenon will have the longest duration — and a shadow layer that allows you to check if the Sun will be visible at the maximum of the eclipse or if it will be hidden by the terrain.
The path of the shadow will cross 13 of the 17 autonomous communities and will cover, at least partially, 31 of the 50 provinces. This means that a large majority of the country will be able to observe the astronomical phenomenon, although only in certain areas will total darkness be reached, a much briefer and unique experience.
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The general recommendation from authorities to citizens who reside or spend their holidays in the totality zone and want to see the eclipse is to find their own observation points to avoid unnecessary travel that could congest roads or cause other problems on August 12. For those who do not have that opportunity, the involved municipalities and autonomous communities are choosing viewpoints capable of managing large crowds to watch the phenomenon. They can be consulted on this map prepared by EL PAÍS.
Map of official sites to see the eclipse
To manage large crowds, the autonomous, provincial, and municipal authorities have planned viewpoints to see the phenomenon. The enabled spaces are places that combine good sky visibility, low probability of cloudiness at that time of year, and suitable conditions to safely follow the eclipse. EL PAÍS has compiled, so far, 190 official sites that can be consulted in this piece.
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