As millions gazed in awe, a swathe of Spain plunged into darkness

Burgos (Spain) (AFP) – The total eclipse plunged a vast swathe of Spain from broad daylight into darkness Wednesday, drawing awed gasps and applause from spectators gathered in parks and cities across the country.

Issued on: 12/08/2026 - 22:34

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As impressive as it was fleeting -- barely two minutes at most -- the extremely rare astronomical event delighted Spaniards and tourists alike across a band of territory stretching from Galicia to the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands.As the light slowly faded in Tarragona, on the Mediterranean coast, a crowd looked on in almost reverent silence as the orange, late-afternoon glow gave way to amost complete darkness."It's crazy!" uttered a woman as the crowd beside suddenly burst into enthusiastic applause.

the different stages of the total solar eclipse as seen from Lodoso, Burgos province in Spain © Cesar MANSO / AFP