Spain will barely have had time to forget the eclipse of 2026 when it looks at the sky again. He August 2, 2027, Less than a year later, a new total solar eclipse will arrive that will have very different characteristics and that will once again place the country among the privileged places to observe this phenomenon.
This time we will have to move south. The strip of totality will cross the Strait of Gibraltar and will reach part of Andalusia, in addition to Ceuta and Melilla. Being inside or outside that narrow zone will make a huge difference: while some places will experience several minutes of darkness, in much of Spain the eclipse will only be partial.
But not all points located within the strip will enjoy the same spectacle. Ceuta appears as one of the great places to contemplate it and will be the point in Spain where the total phase will last the longest.
Ceuta will have almost five minutes of total eclipse
The entirety will begin in Ceuta around 10:45 a.m. and will last approximately 4 minutes and 48 seconds. During this interval, the Moon will completely cover the solar disk and will allow one of the most spectacular moments of any total eclipse to be observed.
The difference will be noticeable even compared to other places in southern Spain.
In Melillatotality will last approximately 4 minutes and 34 seconds. In Cádiz it will be reduced to about 2 minutes and 54 seconds, while in Malaga it will be around 1 minute and 48 seconds.
The choice of place will, therefore, be of special importance for those who want to travel to observe the phenomenon. A few kilometers can translate into a considerable difference in the time during which the Sun will remain completely hidden.
What areas of Spain will be able to see the total eclipse
The strip will cross Spain from west to east at its southern end. In addition to Ceuta and Melillawill reach practically the entire province of Cádiz, a good part of Málaga and the southernmost areas of Granada and Almería.
Outside that range the phenomenon can also be contemplated, but with a fundamental difference. The Moon will cover a very important part of the Sun without completely hiding it.
Even so, the eclipse will be very noticeable from the rest of the country. According to data collected by the National Geographic Institute, the maximum obscuration will be at least one 70% from any point in Spain, including the Canary Islands.
The eclipse will arrive in the morning
The schedule will be another of the big differences compared to the total eclipse experienced in Spain in August 2026.
The phenomenon of 2027 will arrive during the morning, with the Sun located higher above the horizon. The eclipse will begin at approximately 9:30 a.m. and its global journey will end around 2:43 p.m., although the specific times will depend on the viewing location.
In Spain, the moment of maximum occultation will occur around 10:50 a.m.. Within the zone of totality, sunlight will disappear for a few minutes and the corona around the silhouette of the Moon will be visible.
An especially long eclipse
The eclipse of August 2, 2027 It will also stand out for its duration. Its path will cross different regions of the planet and will allow totality to last more than six minutes at the most favorable points, placing it among the longest total eclipses of the century.
Spain will be far from the point where this maximum duration will be reached, but its position will allow several minutes of totality to be enjoyed from the most southern areas.
In Ceuta, those 4 minutes and 48 seconds They will turn the autonomous city into the reference place within Spanish territory.
Spain will still have another eclipse in 2028
The phenomenon of 2027 will not close the exceptional succession of eclipses that Spain will experience during these years.
He January 26, 2028 An annular solar eclipse will be visible from the country. In this way, the phenomena of 2026, 2027 and 2028 will form an unusual succession of great astronomical events.
Then we will have to wait much longer to see a total solar eclipse from Spanish territory again. The next one won’t arrive until 2053.
Before that long wait, August 2, 2027 will offer a new opportunity. And this time, those who want to extend the minutes of darkness to the maximum will have a destination specially marked on the map, Ceuta.