Spain has just experienced one of the most anticipated astronomical events in recent years, but we will have to wait less than twelve months to contemplate again a total solar eclipse from our country. The next appointment is already marked on the calendar and will arrive on August 2, 2027.
The phenomenon will have different characteristics than the one experienced this August 12. If the 2026 eclipse was conditioned by its proximity to sunset, the next one will occur in the morning and will offer a much longer phase of totality in the best located areas.
The 2027 eclipse will also have an exceptional duration on a global scale. Its maximum will occur in Egypt, where totality will reach 6 minutes and 23 seconds, which will make it one of the longest total eclipses of the century, according to data from the National Geographic Institute collected by the media consulted.
When will the next total solar eclipse be in Spain?
The date that must be marked on the calendar is Monday, August 2, 2027. The shadow of the Moon will begin its journey in the Atlantic Ocean and will later cross the Strait of Gibraltar before continuing through North Africa.
Unlike the 2026 eclipse, which occurred at dusk with the Sun very close to the horizon, the 2027 eclipse will arrive during the morning. The phenomenon will begin in the Atlantic around 09:30 peninsular hours, Therefore, the Sun will be at a higher altitude and the observation conditions will be different.
Where the 2027 eclipse will be best seen in Spain
On this occasion, the focus will shift to the southern Spain. The strip of totality will pass through areas of Cádiz, Málaga, Granada and Almería, In addition to the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
Those who are within this strip will be able to see how the Moon completely covers the solar disk. In some Spanish points, the totality may be maintained for more than four minutes, a duration much longer than that recorded during the eclipse of August 2026.
Outside that range, the phenomenon can be partially seen from other places in Spain and much of Europe.
Why the 2027 eclipse will be different from 2026
The duration will be one of the big differences between both events. During the 2026 eclipse, the totality phase remained below two minutes in Spain. Next year, some points in the south will be able to enjoy more than four minutes with the Sun completely hidden.
The time of day will also change. This year’s eclipse arrived at sunset, while the one on August 2, 2027 will take place in the morningwith the Sun considerably higher above the horizon.
Its world tour will then continue through North Africa. After crossing Spain and the Strait of Gibraltar, the strip will advance through countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before continuing towards the Middle East and ending in the Indian Ocean.
The 2028 eclipse will complete the Trio of Eclipses
The succession of great astronomical events will not end in 2027. Spain will have a third event on January 26, 2028although on that occasion the phenomenon will be different.
It will be an annular solar eclipse. The Moon will not completely cover the Sun’s disk and will leave visible around its silhouette a bright circle known popularly as “ring of fire”.
The annularity strip will cross numerous areas of Spain, including points in Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Aragon, Murcia and the Valencian Community, before reaching the Balearic Islands and leaving Spanish territory.
In this way, the total eclipse of 2026 has been only the beginning of an exceptional sequence. Two total eclipses in 2026 and 2027 and an annular one in 2028 They will make Spain for three consecutive years one of the privileged places to observe some of the most spectacular astronomical phenomena.