IT·Science News

Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years turns day to night across Spain

Millions of people across Europe watched the Moon pass in front of the Sun on Wednesday 12 August, Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years, Al Jazeera reports. The total eclipse began in northern Siberia, swept over Greenland and Iceland and reached Spain at about 18:30 GMT. Clouds and rain hid much of it in Reykjavik, while Spain largely had good views despite temperatures near 40C. At its longest, totality lasted about two minutes and 18 seconds.

The Guardian, reporting from Madrid, called it Spain’s first total solar eclipse in more than a century. Officials estimated up to 6 million people could travel to the path, about 460,000 visitors came to Spain for it, and most opticians and pharmacies sold out of eclipse glasses. With a high wildfire risk, more than 24,000 police officers were deployed.

“A total solar eclipse is one of the best spectacles in nature.” — César González, Madrid Planetarium, via The Guardian

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — the eclipse chasers: visitors from Canada and France, an Iberia charter flight to watch from 10,000 metres, and Spain as the one place with good weather odds.
• Al Jazeera — the map and the moment: Paris 92% covered, London 91%, Berlin 85%; and at Spain’s Ebro Observatory, hundreds fell silent at totality. The next total eclipse, on 2 August next year, will cross southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Where the numbers differ: The Guardian said the eclipse path stretched about 200km; Al Jazeera’s report after the event described a strip just under 300km wide.