August 12 Eclipse: The Further North You Go in Fuerteventura, the More Complete It Gets

Maximum obscuration of the Sun will occur in La Graciosa at 74 %, while the minimum will be in El Hierro at 66.53 %.

On August 12 a rare astronomical event will sweep across the islands—a solar eclipse that will not be seen again for many years. The 2026 total solar eclipse will be total in large parts of mainland Spain, but not in the Canary Islands. In the archipelago the Sun will be covered as follows:

• La Graciosa: 74 %
• El Hierro: 66.53 % (minimum)
• Lanzarote: 73 %
• Fuerteventura: 72.5 % (high)
• North Tenerife: 70 %
• North Gran Canaria: 69.9 %
• La Palma: 69.1 %
• La Gomera: 68 %

The eclipse occurs during a new‑moon phase, when the Sun, Moon and Earth align and the Moon’s shadow falls on different points of our planet. A total eclipse will be visible along a band that stretches from Galicia to Catalonia or the Balearic Islands, with 100 % obscuration in locations such as A Coruña, Lugo, Santander, Burgos, Madrid, Valladolid, Logroño, Soria, Zaragoza, Tarragona, Palma, among others.

Across most of the Iberian Peninsula the coverage will exceed 93 %, with the lowest values in Andalusia (still above 90 %) and 92 % in Ceuta.

When to Watch It in the Canary Islands

Island / Area	Start of Eclipse	Maximum Coverage
La Graciosa	18:56	19:51
Lanzarote	~30 seconds later than La Graciosa	~30 seconds later
Fuerteventura	~1 minute later (≈ 18:57)	≈ 19:53
Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera	≈ 18:58 (small variations north‑south)	≈ 19:54
El Hierro	≈ 18:59	≈ 19:55 (just before 8 p.m.)

The further north you are on each island, the earlier the phenomenon will begin.

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Safety Precautions for Observation

Astronomers and health experts stress that, despite the excitement surrounding a solar eclipse, never look directly at the Sun without proper protection. Use certified solar filters or eclipse‑specific glasses. Homemade solutions—such as using X‑ray plates, smoked glass, or other improvised filters—can cause irreversible retinal damage.

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