Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:35
Elche
38.262°, -0.701° · 96 m a.s.l.
99% of the Sun covered at maximum
Visible · score 45/100 Sun at +4° · 286° WNW
The Sun clears local terrain by 1.62° at peak.
Partial eclipse · 99% obscuration
ELCHE · 38.262° N -0.701° W
Photo: User:Carlos Quesada · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
In Elche, the Moon covered 99% of the Sun.
At 20:35 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over Elche, covering up to 99% 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 64/ 100
Full ring visible
See the eclipse from Elche minute by minute
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About Elche
Elche is a city located in Alicante province in the Valencian Community, with over 234,000 inhabitants. Situated at 96 metres altitude, the city is known for its historic palm groves and archaeological richness, with evidence of human settlement since ancient times. Its position between the coast and inland gives it particular geographic characteristics.
For this eclipse
The partial solar eclipse of August 12, 2026 will be visible from Elche around 20:34 local time. The Sun will be at a height of just 4.1 degrees above the horizon, with a safety margin of 2.3 degrees from the horizon line. This extremely low height requires a completely clear observation line towards the west, with no obstacles limiting the view of the Sun.
The weather in August
Specific climatology data for Elche in August is not fully available in the consulted records. However, the city's location on the eastern coast suggests the warm, dry summers typical of the region. It is recommended to check the weather forecast near 12 August to confirm local visibility conditions.
Past eclipses
A total eclipse was visible from Elche on 28 May 1900, 126 years ago. The most recent annular eclipse visible from this city occurred on 3 October 2005, just 21 years before 2026. The next annular eclipse will not arrive until 13 July 2075, nearly 49 years after the current eclipse date.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At maximum, the Sun will be oriented towards the west, at an azimuth of 286 degrees. The very low height of the Sun's position demands a completely clear perspective without buildings or terrain features blocking the view. Finding a location with a completely free horizon in that direction is essential for observation.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from Elche
In Elche, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:35 local time, with 99% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In Elche, the Sun was 4° above the horizon, toward the WNW. Even so, a clear horizon toward the WNW helped.
This area typically sees around 9% 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 Elche
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:40:29 | 17:40:29 UTC | +14.5° | 277.7° | |
| Maximum | 20:34:56 | 18:34:56 UTC | +4.1° | 285.8° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 20:46 | 18:46 UTC | +2.2° | 287.4° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:26:02 | 19:26:02 UTC | -4.9° | 293.7° |
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
- 38.2622° N
- Longitude
- 0.7011° W
- Elevation
- 96 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:40:29
- Maximum
- 20:34:56
- Eclipse ends
- 21:26:02
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 21:00:18
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 45m 34s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 99%
- Sun altitude
- +4.1°
- Sun azimuth
- 285.8°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (285.8°)
285.8° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
4.11°
Sun altitude at maximum
2.50°
Terrain horizon
+1.62°
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 Elche
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| la Cilla del Sit | 1147 m | 24.1 km | 355° N |
| Cid | 1104 m | 21.4 km | 356° N |
| Puntal GrosIn the Sun's direction | 1086 m | 24.8 km | 288° WNW |
| Penya de la MinaIn the Sun's direction | 1053 m | 22.0 km | 290° WNW |
| Cabeçó Ventós | 900 m | 25.0 km | 18° NNE |
| Safra | 852 m | 21.8 km | 314° NW |
| Puntals del Ginebre | 845 m | 24.6 km | 353° N |
| Penya de la Safra | 843 m | 23.3 km | 315° NW |
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The August sky
9%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 1%Median cloud cover · 9%P75 — cloudier days · 36%
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 Elche
- Last total eclipseMay 28, 1900126 years ago
- Last annular eclipseOctober 3, 200521 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 Elche
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Elche?
Yes, partial eclipse: the Sun was 99% covered at maximum from Elche.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Elche?
Maximum occurred at 20:34 local time (18:34 UTC) in Elche.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Elche?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 286°), 4° above the horizon at maximum from Elche.
Was Elche a good place to watch the eclipse?
Elche could see the eclipse with limitations (score 45/100): 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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