Spain prepares for the most significant total solar eclipse in over a century

Spain is preparing for one of the rarest astronomical events that residents of the Iberian Peninsula can witness, as a total solar eclipse will cross the country from northwest to east just before sunset. This phenomenon will be the first of its kind visible as a total eclipse from the peninsula since 1912. The eclipse places Spain at the center of a global astronomical event, with the Spanish government expecting the phenomenon to attract approximately 446,700 additional tourists to areas offering the best viewing sites, generating revenues estimated at around 347.6 million euros (nearly $400 million). Preparations extend beyond tourism; the government has established a joint ministerial committee and developed a special security plan and a civil protection plan, focusing on emergency management, wildfire prevention, traffic control, public security, and the capacity of government and medical services to handle exceptional crowds. The eclipse begins globally at 5:34 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, according to the official time of the Iberian Peninsula, and ends at 9:58 p.m. over the Atlantic Ocean, meaning the entire phenomenon will last approximately four hours and 24 minutes. The maximum duration of totality will occur near Iceland and will last two minutes and 18 seconds.