{
  "id": 709759,
  "title": "Rare solar eclipse crosses Europe, bringing total darkness to Spain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/rare-solar-eclipse-crosses-europe-bringing-total-darkness-to-spain",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-12T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Qatar Tribune",
    "slug": "qatar-tribune",
    "url": "https://www.qatar-tribune.com/article/248585/world/rare-solar-eclipse-crosses-europe-bringing-total-darkness-to-spain"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Wednesday evening, a rare total solar eclipse swept across Europe, casting twilight-like conditions over parts of the continent and plunging Spain into darkness. The celestial event began in northwestern Spain's port city of A Coruña, where thousands gathered to witness the moon slowly covering the sun for a minute and a half. The total eclipse, visible across a narrow strip just under 300 kilometers wide, stretched south-eastwards to the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca. Portugal also experienced the moon's umbra.\n\nA partial eclipse was observable across other regions, starting near Alaska's Pacific coast. Millions of residents and tourists eagerly anticipated the total eclipse in Spain, with the last sighting on mainland Spanish soil occurring in 1905. The island of Mallorca saw a surge in visitors, causing traffic disruptions along the west coast, particularly in Sóller. Hotels and private accommodations with unobstructed views of the western horizon were in high demand, with some rentals costing several hundred euros. The Spanish government deployed over 33,000 police officers and Civil Guard personnel and distributed two million certified eclipse glasses to ensure safety during the event.",
  "summary": "dpaBerlinPeople across Europe looked to the western horizon on Wednesday evening to see the moon moving in front of the sun, bringing twilight-like conditions and plunging parts of...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Spain readies for rare solar eclipse, concern over heat and wildfires grows",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/spain-readies-for-rare-solar-eclipse-concern-over-heat-and-wildfires",
        "published": "2026-08-12T12:42:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Spain prepares for rare total solar eclipse",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/spain-prepares-for-rare-total-solar-eclipse",
        "published": "2026-08-12T13:48:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'Magical eeriness': Spain, Iceland witness spectacular total solar eclipse; watch",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/magical-eeriness-spain-iceland-witness-spectacular-total-solar",
        "published": "2026-08-12T20:48:13.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}