Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:28
Galdakao
43.231°, -2.843° · 57 m a.s.l.
0 min 16 s of night in broad daylight
Visible · score 73/100 Sun at +8° · 283° WNW
The Sun clears local terrain by 6.24° at C3.
Full totality was visible here. C3 — the end of totality — stayed above the horizon.
Total eclipse · 100% obscuration
C1 — Partial begins
19:32
☀ +18°
C2 — Totality begins
20:28
☀ +8°
Maximum
20:28
16s · 283° WNW
C4 — Partial ends
21:20
☀ -0°
GALDAKAO · 43.231° N -2.843° W
Photo: Galdacano · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In Galdakao, day turned to night for 0 min 16 s.
At 20:28 local time, the Moon fully covered the Sun over Galdakao. For 0 min 16 s, the sky darkened as if it were night, leaving the Sun as a ring of light around a black disc.
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 23/ 100
Blocked by terrain
See the eclipse from Galdakao minute by minute
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About Galdakao
Galdakao is a municipality in the Basque Country located in the province of Bizkaia, in the valley of the Ibaizabal River, 57 metres above sea level. With nearly 29,000 inhabitants, it forms part of the Bilbao metropolitan area and extends between the gentle hills that characterise the interior Basque landscape. Its position in the corridor connecting Bilbao to the plateau gives it the character of a communications hub within the Duranguesado region.
For this eclipse
On 12 August 2026, Galdakao lies within the path of totality of the solar eclipse. Maximum will occur at 20:27 local time, with the Sun at 8.1 degrees above the horizon and a margin of 6.6 degrees above the surrounding terrain, ensuring unobstructed visibility. The characteristic darkness of the total phase will be observable from the municipality. For optimal viewing, position yourself in a location with clear horizon to the west-northwest.
The weather in August
In August, Galdakao records a mean temperature of 21.2 °C, with highs around 26.3 °C and lows of 16.1 °C, according to AEMET data for the period 1991–2020. The month averages approximately 52.7 mm of precipitation and 182.9 hours of sunshine. The probability of clear skies is 44 % and the storm risk is classified as moderate. The Atlantic climate of the region means rapid weather changes, so it is advisable to check forecasts in the days leading up to the eclipse.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse visible from Galdakao took place on 18 July 1860, 166 years ago, with a totality duration of 159 seconds. Previously, on 1 April 1764 there was an annular eclipse with 86.9 % obscuration and 371 seconds of annular phase. After the eclipses of 2026 and 2028, one must wait until 27 February 2082 for the next annular eclipse and until 17 November 2180 for the next total eclipse.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum eclipse, at 20:27 on 12 August 2026, the Sun will be at an azimuth of 283°, oriented to the west-northwest, and 8.1 degrees above the horizon. With that margin above the surrounding terrain, observation is direct from any point without obstruction in that direction. To locate the Sun easily during totality, simply look to the west-northwest from an open location.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from Galdakao
In Galdakao, totality began at 20:28 local time and lasted 0 min 16 s, until 20:28. The eclipse maximum fell at 20:28.
In Galdakao, the Sun was 8° above the horizon, toward the WNW. With that much margin above the horizon, any spot with open sky worked.
This area typically sees around 41% 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 Galdakao
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:31:52 | 17:31:52 UTC | +18.2° | 273.5° | |
| C2 — Totality begins | 20:27:32 | 18:27:32 UTC | +8.2° | 282.7° | |
| Maximum | 20:27:41 | 18:27:41 UTC | +8.2° | 282.8° | |
| C3 — Totality ends | 20:27:49 | 18:27:49 UTC | +8.1° | 282.8° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 21:06 | 19:06 UTC | +1.7° | 289.1° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:20:05 | 19:20:05 UTC | -0.4° | 291.6° |
Phases marked with ⛰️ were not seen: the Sun was already hidden behind the real terrain at that moment.
C2/C3 times and duration corrected for the lunar limb (the Moon's real edge profile).
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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
- 43.2307° N
- Longitude
- 2.8429° W
- Elevation
- 57 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:31:52
- Totality begins
- 20:27:32
- Maximum
- 20:27:41
- Totality ends
- 20:27:49
- Eclipse ends
- 21:20:05
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 21:18:40
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 48m 12s
- Totality
- 16s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 100%
- Sun altitude
- +8.2°
- Sun azimuth
- 282.8°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (282.8°)
282.8° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
8.16°
Sun altitude at maximum
1.89°
Terrain horizon
+6.24°
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 Galdakao
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorbeia | 1482 m | 22.5 km | 167° SSE |
| Aldamin | 1376 m | 21.9 km | 166° SSE |
| Arroriano | 1341 m | 23.7 km | 166° SSE |
| Lekanda | 1309 m | 18.6 km | 168° SSE |
| Pagazuri | 1306 m | 24.1 km | 167° SSE |
| Igalirrintza | 1304.1 m | 18.3 km | 168° SSE |
| Bedargogor Atxa | 1302 m | 23.1 km | 165° SSE |
| Miruen Haitza | 1288 m | 22.1 km | 165° SSE |
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The August sky
Avg. temp.
21.2°C
Max / min
26.3° / 16.1°
Precipitation
52.7 mm
Storm risk
Medium
Station BILBAO AEROPUERTO, 9 km away · Period 1991-2020 · Source: AEMET
41%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 8%Median cloud cover · 41%P75 — cloudier days · 89%
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 Galdakao
- Last total eclipseAugust 12, 20260 years ago
- Last annular eclipseApril 1, 1764262 years ago
- Next total eclipseNovember 17, 2180
- Next annular eclipseFebruary 27, 2082
Solar eclipses computed from astronomical ephemerides for the city's coordinates.
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Frequently asked questions about the eclipse in Galdakao
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Galdakao?
Yes — Galdakao was inside the totality path and the horizon allowed the total phase to be fully visible.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Galdakao?
Maximum occurred at 20:27 local time (18:27 UTC) in Galdakao.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Galdakao?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 283°), 8° above the horizon at maximum from Galdakao.
How long did totality last in Galdakao?
Totality lasted 0 min 16 s in Galdakao (C2 to C3). (corrected for the Moon's limb profile)
Was Galdakao a good place to watch the eclipse?
Galdakao saw totality (C2-C3) very close to the western horizon. The partial end (C4) fell below the horizon: a clear western view was needed for an epic experience.
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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