When Josep Masalles was 17 years old, he was captivated by a partial eclipse of the sun over Barcelona, where he lives in northeastern Spain. It sparked a lifelong fascination that has taken him around the world. In the 53 years that have followed, Masalles has witnessed 43 eclipses, including 22 total solar eclipses.
"The beauty of an eclipse is incomparable," Masalles told DW at the headquarters of the Barcelona Astronomical Society, or ASTER, where he is president. "For me, it has also meant a way to travel, to see other societies and cultures, and to meet other astronomers."
Masalles, along with other astronomers, is now preparing for a rare trio of solar eclipses over Spain and North Africa — Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt — between August 2026 and January 2028.
What you can expect from the trio of solar eclipses
On August 12, a total eclipse will pass from Galicia in the northwest of Spain to the Balearic Islands in the east, as well as Greenland and the western edge of Iceland.
