Millions of people across Europe, including northern Spain and Iceland, watched the sky darken on Wednesday evening as Western Europe experienced its first total solar eclipse in 27 years.
Crowds gathered at specially designated viewing sites across rural Spain. In Buitrago de Lozoya, a rural district north of Madrid, spectators clapped and cheered shortly after 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT) as Baily's beads - bright flashes of sunlight visible around the edge of the Moon - appeared on the horizon. Total darkness lasted just under a minute.
Diego Fernandez, a 32-year-old economist watching in Buitrago de Lozoya, said the effect deceived the brain.
"It's impressive how the colours return little by little after totality: first the reds, then the blues,” he added.
Rafael Jiménez, 50, from Madrid, described the atmosphere as otherworldly. "It was an absurd scene. We even got soaked when the garden sprinklers kicked in," he said. "And then, just like that, we were watching the sunset again."
Former Queen guitarist Brian May travelled to an observatory in Spain's Teruel province to witness the event, documenting it for his followers on Instagram as bystanders around him broke into applause.
The eclipse first reached Iceland, where cloud cover obscured much of the view over the capital Reykjavik. However, a break in the clouds over the west of the country allowed some visitors and residents a glimpse.
The moon passed directly between the earth and sun, completely blocking the face of the latter, at around 17:44 GMT. Iceland’s western coast was plunged into darkness for up to two minutes and 13 seconds.
Eduarda Ortiz, a 33-year-old lawyer in Reykjavik, said the experience was unexpectedly emotional. "It was like a whole day just came at once, and I felt goosebumps because it just made us think about the shortness of life," she said.
Iceland, a country of around 400,000 people, saw an influx of up to 80,000 visitors for the event, and eclipse glasses had reportedly sold out days in advance.
Spanish authorities had prepared for the possibility of up to six million visitors travelling to follow the total solar eclipse across the north of the country and the Balearic Islands. Some 25,000 police officers were deployed alongside almost 100 aircraft and helicopters to manage the crowds.
The eclipse coincided with one of Spain's highest-risk periods for wildfires, and emergency crews were already tackling a number of blazes on Wednesday, including a significant fire in the southern region of Andalucia. A vehicle fire near a viewing point in Peñíscola, in the Valencia region, spread to 33 other cars before firefighters brought it under control.
For many local authorities, the eclipse also offered a rare chance to draw visitors to less visited parts of the country, away from Spain's crowded coastal resorts. According to local media, some couples chose the occasion to get married.
The Iberian Peninsula last experienced a total solar eclipse in 1912. Two more are due in the coming years: a total eclipse on 2 August 2027 and an annular eclipse in January 2028.
Throughout history, the sudden dimming of daylight during a total eclipse has been interpreted variously as an omen or a sign of divine power.
For many first-time witnesses, though, the reaction was simpler. "Everybody tells you about it, but it is more beautiful than you imagine," said Gema, 43, as she left the viewing point in Buitrago de Lozoya.
Japan and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime have launched a $9.4 million, two-year project across five Afghan provinces to help former poppy-growing...
A U.S. campaign to throttle Iran...
For centuries, Lahore has been shaped by the people, cultures and empires that passed through it. Now, the Pakistani city is preparing to put that ...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
The Iranian Army has again struck at U.S. bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in retaliation for U.S. attacks on southern and western parts of Iran late on Tuesday, which reportedly killed 18 people and injured more than 100 others.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
The resolution, sponsored by African countries and led by Togo, passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The United States was the only country to vote against it.
Food prices around the world rose sharply in August, reaching their highest level since late 2022 as extreme weather and disruptions caused by conflicts drove the surge according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
Southern Chinese provinces were bracing for more torrential rain on Friday after Typhoon Saudel triggered severe flooding, swamping vehicles, collapsing at least one building and forcing mass evacuations.
President Donald Trump is leaving more than a paper trail from his time in office. The U.S. is now minting commemorative $1 coins for America’s 250th anniversary, featuring a portrait of the sitting president.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment