Half a million visitors flock to Spain’s path of total solar eclipse
Video. Spain witnessed its first total solar eclipse in more than a century on Wednesday 12 August, drawing millions of people to viewing sites across the north of the country as the Moon passed directly in front of the Sun.
In Medinaceli, a hilltop town in north-eastern Spain, spectators arrived hours early with chairs, hats and eclipse glasses to secure a clear view before the event reached totality shortly before sunset.
Getxo, a coastal town just north-west of Bilbao in the Basque Country, also lay within the narrow path of totality. There, the Moon completely covered the Sun for only a few seconds at around 20:27 CEST, with the Sun just 8 degrees above the western horizon.
Totality lasted for about one minute in Spain before the eclipse moved towards the Mediterranean. The longest total phase, lasting less than 2.5 minutes, was recorded farther north off Iceland's west coast.
Spanish authorities had expected at least 500,000 additional visitors along the eclipse path, putting pressure on hotels and local services. The event also came as Spain faced scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, prompting authorities to launch a major public safety campaign.
