Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:29
El Masnou
41.480°, 2.319° · 27 m a.s.l.
99.6% of the Sun covered at maximum
Marginal · score 38/100 Sun at +4° · 287° WNW
Marginal: only 0.15° between the Sun and the local skyline at peak.
Partial eclipse · 99.6% obscuration
EL MASNOU · 41.480° N 2.319° E
Photo: Simon.zfn · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
In El Masnou, the Moon covered 99.6% of the Sun.
At 20:29 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over El Masnou, covering up to 99.6% of its disc. It didn't become a total or annular eclipse: the Sun kept shining throughout.
The other two eclipses from here
Eclipse 2 Aug 2027
Score 50/ 100
Eclipse visible
The Sun will be 37-41° high, so terrain rules out no city at all: of the 560 assessed, 522 tie on the same score. What decides is being inside the path.
Eclipse 26 Jan 2028
Score 50/ 100
Blocked by terrain
See the eclipse from El Masnou minute by minute
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About El Masnou
El Masnou is a coastal municipality in the province of Barcelona, nestled in the Maresme region on the shores of the Mediterranean. With around 23,340 inhabitants, it extends only 27 meters above sea level, northeast of the Catalan capital. Its coastline, defined by the presence of a marina, shapes the character of this settlement that combines a deep maritime tradition with close proximity to the Barcelona metropolitan area.
For this eclipse
On August 12, 2026, El Masnou will experience a partial solar eclipse in which the Moon will cover a fraction of the solar disk. Maximum will occur at 20:28 local time, with the Sun barely 3.9 degrees above the horizon in the west-northwest direction (287°). At such a low angle, any obstacle—buildings, trees, or the very shoreline profile—could block the view. The verdict is marginal: observation will depend entirely on the clear horizon that your chosen location offers.
The weather in August
August in El Masnou follows the coastal Mediterranean pattern of the Maresme region: warm afternoons and skies tending to clear. The nearest AEMET station (0244X) records a low risk of storms for this month, which favors the late afternoon hours. Still, the characteristic sea haze of the Maresme coast can reduce horizon visibility precisely at sunset, which is when the eclipse reaches its maximum, so it pays to choose your observation point carefully.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse visible from El Masnou took place on May 12, 1706, 320 years ago, with a phase of totality lasting just under four minutes. More recently, on November 11, 1901—125 years ago—the city witnessed an annular eclipse with an obscuration of just over 82% and an annular phase of about four and a half minutes. After the eclipses of 2026, 2027, and 2028, the next annular eclipse visible from this latitude won't arrive until July 13, 2075.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum, the Sun will be at 287° azimuth—west-northwest direction—at a height of barely 3.9 degrees above the horizon. To orient yourself: looking from the beach toward the sea, the Sun will be slightly to the right of where it sets in summer, practically grazing the waterline. This very low position makes it essential to find an observation point free of obstacles to the west-northwest, whether on the promenade or at some pier without buildings blocking the horizon.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from El Masnou
In El Masnou, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:29 local time, with 99.6% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In El Masnou, the Sun was 4° above the horizon, toward the WNW. It sat right at the edge of the horizon: even a small nearby obstacle could have blocked it.
This area typically sees around 19% median cloud cover at that hour, based on ten years of historical data — not a forecast for this specific eclipse.
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Eclipse schedule in El Masnou
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:34:55 | 17:34:55 UTC | +13.7° | 277.9° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 20:28 | 18:28 UTC | +4.0° | 286.4° | |
| Maximum | 20:29:07 | 18:29:07 UTC | +3.9° | 286.5° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:20:08 | 19:20:08 UTC | -4.7° | 295.1° |
Phases marked with ⛰️ were not seen: the Sun was already hidden behind the real terrain at that moment.
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Eclipse phases
Times in CEST local time
Oriented as seen with the naked eye, zenith up (official ephemerides usually draw it with celestial north up, rotated with respect to this).
Phases shown in red aren't observable: they happen while the Sun is below the horizon.
Location
- Latitude
- 41.4798° N
- Longitude
- 2.3188° E
- Elevation
- 27 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:34:55
- Maximum
- 20:29:07
- Eclipse ends
- 21:20:08
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 20:54:25
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 45m 13s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 99.7%
- Sun altitude
- +3.9°
- Sun azimuth
- 286.5°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (286.5°)
286.5° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
3.87°
Sun altitude at maximum
4.02°
Terrain horizon
-0.15°
Sun−terrain margin
What the contact points (C1-C4) mean
A solar eclipse is described by four key moments, the contact points between the discs of the Sun and the Moon:
- C1First contact: the Moon touches the edge of the Sun and the partial eclipse begins.
- C2Second contact: the Moon fully covers the Sun and totality begins.
- C3Third contact: the Sun reappears and totality ends.
- C4Fourth contact: the Moon leaves the Sun's disc and the eclipse ends.
Where the eclipse is only partial, the Moon never fully covers the Sun: only C1 and C4 occur, with no totality in between.
Peaks near El Masnou
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turó de Santa Margarida | 795.6 m | 24.9 km | 358° N |
| Turó dels Garrics | 716 m | 24.7 km | 360° N |
| Puig de la Creu | 668.3 m | 24.6 km | 313° NW |
| el Corredor | 642 m | 21.0 km | 40° NE |
| Puig del Castell | 632.2 m | 24.3 km | 1° N |
| el Segon Turó | 614.6 m | 24.5 km | 312° NW |
| Turó de Puioret | 598.6 m | 24.8 km | 346° NNW |
| Montalt | 596.7 m | 20.2 km | 47° NE |
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The August sky
19%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 3%Median cloud cover · 19%P75 — cloudier days · 70%
10-year average over 70 samples: the 3 days before and after 12 August, at the same eclipse hour · Source: ERA5 (ECMWF)
Cloud forecast
Full cloud-cover forecast for eclipse day, including the hour-by-hour outlook toward the sun. Available with PRO.
See plansOther eclipses seen from El Masnou
- Last total eclipseMay 12, 1706320 years ago
- Last annular eclipseNovember 11, 1901125 years ago
- Next annular eclipseJuly 13, 2075
Solar eclipses computed from astronomical ephemerides for the city's coordinates.
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Frequently asked questions about the eclipse in El Masnou
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from El Masnou?
Yes, but marginally: with 99.6% obscuration, the topographic horizon from El Masnou was very close to the Sun's altitude at the end.
What time was the eclipse maximum in El Masnou?
Maximum occurred at 20:29 local time (18:29 UTC) in El Masnou.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from El Masnou?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 287°), 4° above the horizon at maximum from El Masnou.
Was El Masnou a good place to watch the eclipse?
El Masnou could see the eclipse with limitations (score 38/100): terrain, geometry, or climatology added risk. A higher-scored viewpoint would have been preferable.
Do I need special glasses to watch the eclipse?
Yes, you need ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses during every partial phase. Regular sunglasses do NOT protect. Glasses can only be removed during the totality phase (when the Sun is fully covered); never during annular or partial eclipses. Pages flagged "visible" assume a clear horizon, not a viewing recommendation.
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