Montserrat will see 42 seconds of total solar eclipse on 12 August
Montserrat lies within the path of totality for the solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August. The event will begin in the town at about 7.38 pm and reach its maximum at around 8.33 pm, bringing roughly 42 seconds of total darkness. At that moment the Sun will be only 4.5 degrees above the horizon; the partial phase will remain visible until sunset at about 9.01 pm.
It will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century. The Moon’s shadow will cross Spain from west to east, from Galicia to the Comunitat Valenciana and the Illes Balears. The duration and height of the Sun will vary by location, with Montserrat close to the southern edge of the path of totality.
The Sun’s low elevation will be the main local constraint. Observers will need a location with a completely clear view to the west, without hills, buildings or trees blocking the horizon. The Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), Spain’s national mapping agency, recommends checking both the weather forecast and its terrain viewer in the days beforehand to confirm visibility from the chosen site.
A talk to prepare for the eclipse
Ajuntament de Montserrat has organised a talk for Thursday 6 August at 8 pm in Casa de la Cultura, led by astronomer and local resident Francisco Colomer Sanmartín. He will explain the most notable aspects of the event on the 12th and offer advice on enjoying the eclipse without putting eyesight at risk. Admission is free.
How to watch safely
Certified eclipse glasses complying with standard EN ISO 12312-2:2015 must be worn throughout every partial phase and should carry the CE mark if bought in the European Union. Sunglasses, X-ray film, compact discs, smoked glass and homemade filters do not protect against solar radiation and can cause permanent retinal injury.
The Sun may be viewed without protection only while it is completely covered during totality. As this phase will last less than a minute in Montserrat, viewers must put their glasses back on before the first point of sunlight reappears. Cameras, binoculars and telescopes require dedicated solar filters fitted in front of the objective lens; eclipse glasses are not safe for looking through optical equipment.
The IGN advises checking glasses for scratches or damage, viewing for short periods and avoiding improvised journeys. Municipal information may vary slightly with the coordinates used and obstacles in the terrain, so the observation point and timings should be checked again before 12 August.
Sources: Ajuntament de Montserrat talk poster, Instituto Geográfico Nacional (general circumstances and safety) and eclipseando.com (Montserrat calculation using JPL DE440s ephemerides, cross-checked against the IGN, CC BY 4.0).
Illustrative image generated with artificial intelligence.