Millions of people gathered in northern Spain and Iceland on Wednesday to witness Western Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
In Spain, the eclipse plunged parts of the north into darkness for about a minute, prompting cheers and applause. Special viewing sites were established across rural areas, with authorities deploying 25,000 police officers and nearly 100 aircraft and helicopters to manage the crowds and wildfire risks.
In Buitrago de Lozoya, viewers watched Baily’s beads appear on the horizon shortly after 8:30 p.m. Economist Diego Fernandez, 32, described the return of colours after totality: “It’s impressive how the colours return little by little after totality – first the reds, then the blues – just like at dawn and sunset, totally deceiving your brain.”
Madrid resident Rafael Jiménez, 50, called the experience surreal, saying, “It was an absurd scene; we even got soaked when the garden sprinklers kicked in. And then, just like that, we were watching the sunset again.”
Former Queen guitarist Brian May also travelled to Spain’s Teruel province to watch the eclipse. As totality arrived, he said, “Here we go, the sun is disappearing. It’s amazing,” as spectators cheered and applauded.
Spain expected as many as 6 million visitors along the eclipse’s path, while the event also offered an opportunity to showcase rural regions and boost tourism.
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In Iceland, totality reached the western coast at about 5:44 p.m., lasting up to 2 minutes and 13 seconds. Reykjavik experienced darkness despite clouds obscuring the eclipse itself. Lawyer Eduarda Ortiz, 33, reflected: “It was like a whole day just came at once, and I felt goosebumps because it just made us think about … the shortness of life, how time can be different, and how it depends on your perspective.”
Iceland welcomed up to 80,000 visitors, including dedicated “eclipse chasers”. One observer, Gema, 43, summed up the experience simply: “Everybody tells you about it, but it is more beautiful than you imagine.”
The eclipse was the first in a sequence known as the “Iberian Eclipse Trio”, with another total eclipse expected on August 2, 2027, followed by an annular eclipse in January 2028.
Reuters
