Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
The event is attracting visitors, scientists and dedicated eclipse watchers to locations where the phenomenon will be visible in full, with authorities preparing for large crowds along the path of totality.
In Spain, officials expect up to six million visitors across northern regions and the Balearic Islands. Authorities have launched a major security operation as the eclipse coincides with one of the country’s highest-risk periods for wildfires.
Spanish officials say the event will also offer an opportunity to showcase less-visited areas and ease pressure on heavily crowded coastal destinations.
In Iceland, around 80,000 visitors are expected to join local residents to watch the eclipse, with viewing areas prepared across the country.
In Reykjavík, eclipse glasses have sold out ahead of the event, while authorities have warned of heavy traffic and urged visitors to arrive early.
The moon’s shadow is expected to reach Iceland’s western coast at around 17:44 GMT, with totality expected to lastmore than two minutes in some areas.
The event will also feature cultural celebrations, including an eclipse-themed performance by Icelandic singer Björk.
The eclipse will provide scientists with a rare opportunity to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which is normally hidden by the Sun’s brightness.
NASA plans airborne observations using a high-altitude WB-57 aircraft from Iceland, while research teams are set to launch balloons to study changes in the atmosphere caused by the sudden darkness and cooling.
Researchers say each eclipse provides new data because solar activity is constantly changing.
The event is also attracting “eclipse chasers” - enthusiasts who travel around the world to experience total solar eclipses.
Some have travelled to Mallorca, Spain, where conditions are expected to offer favourable weather and a longer period of totality.
The Iberian Peninsula’s last total solar eclipse occurred in 1912, with another expected in 2027 as part of a series of major eclipse events in the region.
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