▲ A total solar eclipse is observed in Palencia, Spain, on August 12, 2026.
As a celestial solar eclipse show unfolded across Europe on the evening of the 12th local time, with the moon blocking the sun, citizens and tourists gathered in various places let out gasps of awe.
In Spain and Iceland, where the total solar eclipse was observed, as well as in the UK and France, where a partial eclipse of over 95% appeared, visitors flocked to areas with clear views of the sky, leading to a shortage of special-purpose glasses.
From astronomy enthusiasts who brought professional observation equipment to people wearing special glasses and children carrying homemade devices crafted from shoeboxes and aluminum foil for indirect observation, crowds gathered wherever the sun was visible.
Reuters, AP, and BBC reported that during the few minutes when the sun completely vanished and the area plunged into darkness, applause and cheers erupted from various locations.
Sergio, an Italian man who traveled with his family in a camper van all the way to Arija in northern Spain, told Reuters, "I am overwhelmed with emotion because I will not have another chance in my life to see an eclipse like this."
Medinaceli, a hilltop village in northeastern Spain, was also packed with people who waited for hours ahead of time to secure prime spots to properly view the total solar eclipse that would last for a few minutes.
Akata Bonk, who works as a philosophy professor, said she came to this village from Madrid to properly watch the eclipse, telling the AP, "It is thrilling to watch darkness suddenly descend and the sun disappear."
Reuters noted that this is the first time a total solar eclipse has been visible from the Iberian Peninsula since 1912.
Another total solar eclipse is scheduled to be observed on August 2, 2027, and an annular eclipse, where a bright ring appears around the edge of the sun, is expected to appear in January 2028, completing the Iberian eclipse trio.
It was projected that 8 million tourists would visit Spain on this day, while 80,000 people would flock to Iceland, a country with a population of 400,000.
Steinsor Jonsson, manager of Hotel Keflavik in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, said, "People poured in massively," explaining that such a sight had not been seen since 1986, when the hotel opened and U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held a summit in Reykjavik.
There were also people who watched the eclipse from the sea.
The cruise ship MS Spitsbergen, located in Rypefjord east of Greenland, positioned itself in the middle of the ocean while navigating the central Arctic route to show the magnificent spectacle of the eclipse to its 126 passengers.
Sverre Ryd, the captain of the cruise ship, told the AP, "All day long, passengers came up and asked to secure good spots for them," adding, "Everyone is immensely excited. It feels like Christmas Eve."
Although not a total solar eclipse, the proportion of the sun blocked by the moon reached up to 96% in the UK and 99% in France.
The BBC reported that such an event has not occurred in the UK since 1999 and will not be seen again for the next 50 years.
In London, crowds gathered in Greenwich, home to the Royal Observatory, to watch the event together.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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