Overview
- The total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 is confirmed by NASA and Spanish authorities and will cross northern Spain and the Balearic Islands with totality lasting under two minutes at many central-line locations.
- Municipalities have moved from planning to action by naming recommended observation points and running public programmes, with Melide, A Illa de Arousa, Vigo, Tarragona and Reus among those organising talks, sessions and events for visitors.
- Catalonia’s interdepartmental plan has designated 27 observation points in 20 municipalities and put in place a security operation sized for roughly 85,200 people and 40,805 vehicles to manage access and movement.
- Authorities and scientists stress eye safety and tools for planning: ISO‑certified eclipse glasses or solar filters are required during partial phases, and IGN-fed interactive maps plus NASA and observatory live streams will provide timing and location data.
- Local governments are restricting or seeking to remove vulnerable sites from promotion because of fire risk, Natura 2000 protections, limited access and emergency coverage—requests such as Cangas’s bid to exclude the Caracola/Donón area show those environmental and logistical limits will shape where crowds are allowed.