August’s total solar eclipse will sweep over Spain, Iceland and Greenland - AP News
A total solar eclipse is set to cross Spain, Iceland, and Greenland on August 12, marking the first such event in the region in over a century. The day will also feature a rare planetary alignment and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
Why it matters
Rare astronomical events provide significant educational and tourism opportunities for the affected regions.
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For the first time in more than a century, a total solar eclipse is coming to mainland Spain with an even longer encore next summer.
Toss in a crescendoing meteor shower and a six-planet parade on the same day, and the heavens will be overflowing with awe.
Daytime darkness will descend Aug. 12 across the Iberian Peninsula close to sunset — plus slivers of Greenland and Iceland — as the sun, moon and Earth align perfectly in the sky.
Starting near the North Pole before tracking south, totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds, an appetizer for an even longer solar show next year — a 6 ½-minute extravaganza that will sweep from Spain to North Africa and the Middle East.
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