For the eclipse on Monday 2 August 2027, bring EN ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses for everyone who is going to look, a cap or hat, water, sun cream, some shade and the exact time for your spot. You will spend about two hours and twenty minutes in the mid-morning sun: in Tarifa, at the southern tip of mainland Spain, the eclipse begins at 09:40:56 and ends at 12:00:35 Spanish time (CEST, UTC+2), and in that time the Sun climbs from about 25° to 53° above the horizon. A chair, a tripod, the phone filter and a spare battery depend on what you want to do.
The essentials
- Eclipse glasses that meet EN ISO 12312-2, checked before you leave: if the filter is scratched, has holes or is coming loose, don’t use them. Ideally one pair per person. If there are a lot of you, the AAS (American Astronomical Society) points out that the partial phases move slowly, so a few pairs can be passed round for a look every few minutes.
- The times for your spot, written down or on your phone: when it starts, when maximum is and, if you are in the path of totality, when you can take your glasses off. You can find them in Will I see it?.
- Water, more than you think. Spain’s Ministry of Health says to drink water even if you’re not thirsty.
These are the start and end times in a few places:
| Place | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Tarifa | 09:40:56 | 12:00:35 |
| Cádiz | 09:40:48 | 11:59:33 |
| Málaga | 09:42:09 | 12:02:35 |
| Melilla | 09:42:27 | 12:05:19 |
| Almería (99.9%, no totality) | 09:43:39 | 12:05:51 |
| Seville (98.4%) | 09:41:35 | 12:00:00 |
| Madrid (86.1%) | 09:45:35 | 12:02:42 |
Mainland Spanish time. The first four get totality, between 10:45 and 10:53 depending on the place; in the others the eclipse is partial from start to finish and the glasses never come off.
Against the sun and the heat
NASA makes the point on its safety page: even as the Sun is covered, it stays very bright during the partial phases, and anyone who watches the whole eclipse spends hours in direct sunlight. Its advice and that of the Trío de Eclipses website, the official eclipse site of Spain’s Ministry of Science, is the same: sun cream, a hat and protective clothing.
For the heat, the Ministry of Health’s “Protect yourself from the heat” leaflet sums it up: drink water even if you’re not thirsty, eat light meals, look for cool, shady places, wear a hat and light, loose clothing. If you are going to be in the countryside or on grass, the Trío website adds clothing in light colours that covers your arms and legs, plus insect repellent, because of mosquitoes and ticks. It also asks you to bring your medication and health card, and those of anyone in your care.
Sunglasses are fine for the rest of the morning but never for looking at the eclipse: however dark they are, they don’t protect your eyes.
Shade is best if it’s portable: a parasol or an awning for the waiting, because the Sun keeps climbing and the shade of a tree moves. To watch, you step out into the sun with your glasses on.
Staying comfortable for a couple of hours
- A chair or a mat. In the path, the Sun will be about 37-41° up during totality, and looking up while standing gets tiring.
- A bag for rubbish. The Trío website lists harm to the natural environment among the risks of the eclipse and asks people not to leave litter.
- No fires. The fire risk is on the same list, with a ban on lighting fires and a warning not to park on dry vegetation. In August, no barbecues and no cigarette ends.
- Your phone charged and the important things downloaded. The Trío website warns that networks may be overloaded: carry the map, the times and your meeting point without relying on coverage.
If you’re taking photos or video
For a phone, a solar filter over the camera during the partial phases, removed only in totality; a tripod, which the AAS recommends for sequences; and a power bank. If you use a camera, the AAS advises bringing a spare memory card, empty and formatted. All the details are in film the eclipse with your phone.
What we can bring you
On Order your glasses you can ask for ours: cardboard, with the EN ISO 12312-2 certificate, along with the phone filter and packs for groups. We reply with the price and the delivery time. And if you want to wear the eclipse, the shop has T-shirts, mugs and prints with the name of your town, the time of its maximum and its seconds of totality.
The day before, check the weather forecast (in Spanish): if clouds threaten, what changes is the place, not the list, as we explain in do you need eclipse glasses if it is cloudy?.
Sources: NASA — Eclipse Viewing Safety (hours in direct sunlight; sun cream, hat and protective clothing); Trío de Eclipses, official website of Spain’s Ministry of Science — Otros riesgos sanitarios (in Spanish: sun cream, hat, protective clothing, shade and hydration; mosquitoes and ticks; medication and health card); Trío de Eclipses — Prevención y riesgos (in Spanish: litter, fire ban, no parking on dry vegetation, overloaded networks); Spanish Ministry of Health — Protégete del calor (in Spanish: water even if you’re not thirsty, light meals, shade, a hat, light and loose clothing); AAS — How to View a Solar Eclipse Safely (damaged filters out; the partial phases move slowly and glasses can be shared; sunglasses are not safe); AAS — How to Shoot Solar-Eclipse Images & Videos (tripod; spare memory card); times, percentages and the Sun’s altitude: eclipseando data (skyfield engine + DE440s).
If you would like something to keep from the eclipse, the shop prints T-shirts, mugs and posters with the name of your town, the time of its maximum and its seconds of totality. See the merchandise →
Remember: never look at the Sun without proper eye protection (filters made to EN ISO 12312-2). The official reference for safe viewing in Spain is the IGN (in Spanish): eclipses.ign.es.