Solar eclipse on Aug 12 2026 spurs safety plans and viewing sites across Spain

A total solar eclipse will pass over Spain on 12 August 2026, with the path of totality crossing regions such as León, Burgos, Zaragoza, Oviedo, Gijón and the island of Mallorca. The event is expected to draw thousands of visitors.

The Castilla‑y‑León government has designated 73 municipalities as official observation points, coordinating emergency services, traffic management and public safety under its civil‑protection plan. The regional website jcyl.es/eclipse will provide detailed information.

Spanish physicist Alba Moreno, known as @Fisicamr, has released a guide highlighting the best cities for viewing and stressing the need for certified eclipse‑glasses (ISO 12312‑2) or indirect projection methods to avoid permanent eye damage.

In Ourense, a local forum hosted experts who emphasized the rarity of the event—the first total eclipse over the area in more than a century—and reiterated the same safety warnings.

Mexico will not fall within the eclipse’s visibility band; Mexican observers are advised to follow the event through online streams from international observatories.