The Moon will completely cover the solar disc on 12 August along a band across northern and eastern Spain. It will be the first total eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than 100 years; the previous one took place in 1912. The shadow cast by the Moon will enter over Galicia and cross the country from west to east, reaching Palma de Mallorca, where the Sun will finally set.
On the mainland, the partial phase will begin at around 19:30 (peninsular time), and the moment of greatest darkness will arrive between 20:27 and 20:35, depending on the exact location. The phenomenon will end shortly before 21:30, with the Sun already very low on the horizon and, in some places, virtually set. Where it does occur, totality will last just under two minutes.
That same night also coincides with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, so anyone who stays put at their viewing spot will be in for a double treat.
Why your mobile is at genuine risk
The reason you need to be careful is not just to protect your eyes. A smartphones optics work, in a sense, like a magnifying glass: they concentrate the light entering through the lens onto a tiny surface, the camera sensor.
