Millions of people across Spain and Iceland geared up to witness a total solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, packing protective glasses and traveling into narrow paths of totality where the rare astronomical event could be observed in full, according to english.aawsat.com.
Spain Prepares for Massive Crowds and Wildfire Risks
Authorities in Spain expected up to 6 million visitors in mostly rural areas within the eclipse’s path across northern Spain and the Balearic Islands, according to Juan Cruz, Spain’s Secretary of State for Science. “It’s such a special moment,” Cruz told english.aawsat.com, adding that he hoped the event would inspire a new generation of astrophysicists.
Because the eclipse coincided with one of the highest-risk periods for wildfires, Spain rolled out a massive police operation and public safety campaign. The government also positioned the event as an opportunity to redistribute crowds away from saturated coastal beach resorts and showcase seldom-visited regions, addressing ongoing concerns about overtourism.
The Iberian Peninsula last experienced a total solar eclipse in 1912. According to english.aawsat.com, the region is set to experience another total eclipse on August 2, 2027, followed by an annular eclipse in January 2028, completing the so-called “Iberian Eclipse Trio.”
Iceland Sells Out of Eclipse Glasses as Visitors Arrive
In Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik, eclipse glasses sold out days in advance as the Nordic nation of roughly 400,000 residents expected up to 80,000 visitors, according to english.aawsat.com. A narrow path of totality reached Iceland’s westernmost coast at approximately 5:44 p.m. local time (1744 GMT) before the Moon’s shadow raced east.
Totality lasted up to 2 minutes and 13 seconds in the far west of Iceland, while most cities experienced shorter periods of darkness. Icelandic authorities warned of heavy traffic and urged observers to arrive early. Musician Björk was scheduled to perform a DJ set at an eclipse-themed event south of Reykjavik.
Scientific teams capitalized on the path of totality. The U.S. space agency NASA planned to fly a high-altitude WB-57 aircraft from Iceland to track the Moon’s shadow, while NASA-funded teams launched balloons to study how the sudden darkness and cooling affect the lower atmosphere.
Eclipse Chasers Flock to Global Viewing Sites
The event drew dedicated eclipse chasers who travel across the globe to witness paths of totality. Gordon Telepun, a retired plastic surgeon and amateur astronomer from the United States who has photographed six total eclipses, told english.aawsat.com he chose to watch from the island of Mallorca.
“It has pretty reasonable weather chances in August, a decent totality duration at over one-and-a-half minutes and is easy to travel to,” Telepun said.
Worth a look