On August 12, a rare cosmic event will occur, combining a partial and total solar eclipse, along with an annual meteor shower, in a spectacle considered one of the most prominent astronomical events of the current decade.
On this date, a total solar eclipse is expected to occur, visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, and Spain, while a partial eclipse will be visible in most of Europe and parts of North America.
What's even more exciting is that the annual Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak just a few hours after the eclipse, in a dark, moonless sky, providing a rare double spectacle.
The total eclipse will be the first of its kind to be seen in continental Europe since 2006, with day turning to night for a brief period across a wide area of northern Spain, when the moon completely covers the sun's disk.
What is an eclipse and why does it happen?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the sun and the earth, casting its shadow across our planet in a narrow band. This phenomenon causes unusual changes, such as a drop in temperature, shadows appearing at unusual angles, and some animals even going to sleep as if it were night.
These strange phenomena led ancient civilizations to believe that eclipses were harbingers of doom or messages from the gods, but science today explains them as merely a "cosmic coincidence".
The sun is about 400 times larger than the moon, but at the same time, it is 400 times farther from Earth than the moon. These two almost equal numbers make the two discs appear to be the same size in our sky, which is why the moon completely covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, even though the sun is many times larger, revealing the sun's outer atmosphere known as the corona.
Where and when can the eclipse be seen?
The total eclipse will begin in a remote area of northern Russia, then cross a path through Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the northeastern tip of Portugal.
In Spain, the path of totality will move from Oviedo northward to the island of Mallorca. For viewers in Spain, the total eclipse will last less than two minutes before sunset; in Burgos, for example, darkness will last only one minute and 48 seconds. It will last slightly longer in Russia and Greenland, but will not exceed two and a half minutes.
The partial eclipse, which occurs when the moon begins to cross the sun or is about to leave it, will be visible across most of Europe, Canada, the northern United States, and northwest Africa, and will last for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Although the path of totality will not pass over most Arab countries, the Arab countries located in the west and north of the African continent will witness a partial eclipse to varying degrees.
In Algeria, most of the country's inhabitants will witness an exceptional partial solar eclipse as the sun approaches sunset, with the moon covering up to 90% of the sun's disk, peaking at around 98.6% in some areas.
Meanwhile, several Moroccan cities will experience eclipses exceeding 90% during the final stages before sunset
Tunisia will also witness a partial eclipse, where the sun's disk will be obscured by up to 60% or more in some northern regions.
In Mauritania, the percentage of sun obscuration will reach 46.16%.
Other areas in northwest Africa, such as Senegal, Gambia and Burkina Faso, will also experience a partial eclipse at sunset
Although solar eclipses occur once or twice a year, the path of totality is very narrow, meaning that the same region might have to wait 400 years before witnessing another. However, there is good news for astronomy enthusiasts: on August 2, 2027, just one year from now, another total solar eclipse will cross southern Spain, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. Some media outlets have dubbed it the "eclipse of the century" because it will last 6 minutes and 23 seconds, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century.
Spain will witness a third eclipse on January 26, 2028, but this time it will be an annular eclipse known as a "ring of fire," where the moon does not completely cover the sun, but leaves a bright ring around it.
It is very important not to look at the sun with the naked eye during an eclipse, because this may cause serious damage to the eye that you may not feel immediately, as there are no pain receptors in the eye to warn the brain.
Experts recommend using special eclipse glasses that filter out ultraviolet rays
