A rare total solar eclipse observable in Europe

Historical images. This Wednesday evening, millions of French people, Europeans and enthusiasts from around the world gaze at the sky in wonder, during a rare total solar eclipse which very briefly plunged northern Spain into darkness in broad daylight.

This rare astronomical phenomenon, the first of its kind in Europe since 2006, started in Russia around 7 p.m. French time, before crossing the Northern Hemisphere and passing over Greenland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. In France, it began to be observable from Bray-Dunes, in the North, and spread to all regions of France from 7:34 p.m.

Total eclipse in certain places

In addition to part of Iceland, the eclipse was total in a band crossing Spain, from Oviedo to Palma de Mallorca via Burgos, north of Madrid. Beyond this band, it was only partial, in France, but also in Canada, in the north of West Africa and in the United States.

It’s like “a Christmas that only comes once every 100 years,” commented Diana Morant, the Spanish Minister of Science. “This is a scientific event, an exceptional phenomenon, which should help us become aware of our tiny size but also of the impact we have on (the) Earth.”