La Jornada: Spain is in suspense to see the total solar eclipse

Madrid. Spain is in suspense before the first total solar eclipse that can be seen in the country since April 17, 1912, that is, 114 years ago, meaning that practically no person born in the country and who has not traveled to another country to see this unique natural phenomenon knows the sensations it produces.

Both the authorities and the media are focusing on two issues: eye protection measures so that there are no irreversible consequences on people’s eyesight, for which hundreds of thousands of special lenses have been distributed, in addition to those sold in optical stores. The second, the weather forecasts, since it is feared that there will be storms, especially in the north of the country, and that these in turn will bring streaks of clouds that could make it difficult to contemplate the eclipse.

A total solar eclipse has not been experienced in the Iberian Peninsula for more than a century. And in fact the one that occurred in 1912 lasted less than five seconds, so we must go back to 1905 to locate a phenomenon similar to the one that will last one minute and 50 seconds today.

Despite the uniqueness of the phenomenon, total solar eclipses are not sporadic, since there is at least one every 18 months somewhere on the planet, the difficult thing is for the region to repeat itself in decades, if not centuries. From the Institute of Astrophysics of Spain they explained that it is “a geometric coincidence, but also an imperfection. The Moon’s orbit is inclined about 5 degrees with respect to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Therefore, most months, the Moon passes above or below the Sun, and does not manage to adjust perfectly, as happens in eclipses.

There is only an eclipse when the new Moon coincides exactly with one of the two points of intersection of both orbits, called nodes. Even for a short period of time, the lack of light and the difference in radiation can cause atmospheric changes: low clouds tend to dissipate quickly during the total eclipse phase, the surface temperature can drop, and the intensity and direction of the air can change. Additionally, animals will also behave strangely.

The total eclipse will not be seen homogeneously in Spain, as it will cross the country from west to east and pass through numerous cities, such as A Coruña, Palma de Mallorca, Oviedo, León, Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia. In others, although it will approach 99 percent occultation or even exceed it, such as in Madrid or Barcelona, ​​it will not be completely obscured.

But, in addition, Spain is not the only country where the eclipse will be seen, since it will also be seen in part of Iceland, Greenland and remote regions of northern Siberia, as well as a small strip of northwest Portugal. Other countries in Europe and Asia may enjoy the partiality, but the Iberian Peninsula will undoubtedly be the most important point. It also happens that Spain will be the scene of what experts already call the “cosmic triad”: almost a year after this year’s eclipse, another total eclipse will cross the country and its strip of totality will cross the Strait of Gibraltar from west to east and cover the southern end of the peninsula. It will be on August 2, 2027 and the best places to see it will be cities like Cádiz, Málaga and Melilla. Furthermore, on January 26, 2028, the peninsula will experience an annular eclipse that will cross it from southwest to northeast.