Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:37
Jaén
37.769°, -3.790° · 558 m a.s.l.
97% of the Sun covered at maximum
Hidden by terrain · score 40/100 Sun at +6° · 284° WNW
Local terrain rises 1.14° above the Sun at peak.
Partial eclipse · 97% obscuration
JAÉN · 37.769° N -3.790° W
Photo: The original uploader was Cle 80 at German Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In Jaén, the Moon covered 97% of the Sun.
At 20:37 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over Jaén, covering up to 97% 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 Jaén minute by minute
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About Jaén
Jaén is the capital of the province of the same name in Andalusia, nestled at the foot of the sierra de Jabalcuz at 558 metres above sea level. With a population of around 113,000 inhabitants, the city spreads across uneven terrain dominated by the hill of Santa Catalina. Its surroundings, marked by the olive groves of the Jaén countryside, place it in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, far from the coast and surrounded by reliefs that condition the visibility of the horizon.
For this eclipse
On 12 August 2026, Jaén will experience a partial solar eclipse, but the moment of maximum obscuration will occur with the Sun only 6° above the geometric horizon, and the surrounding terrain will exceed this by 1.5°. This means that the Sun will be hidden behind the landscape at that instant, so the maximum of the eclipse will not be observable from the city centre. To see it, it will be necessary to move to an elevated point with a clear horizon towards the west-northwest.
The weather in August
August in Jaén is characterised by low storm risk, which favours stable and clear days in the afternoon. The Andalusian interior at this altitude typically offers dry conditions in summer, with sparse convective cloudiness and cooler nights than on the coast. Although thermometric data from the reference station is not available, the Mediterranean continental climate of the area is known for its hot summers and clear skies, circumstances favourable if you choose a viewpoint with a good horizon.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse visible from Jaén occurred on 12 May 1706, 320 years ago, with a totality of just over two minutes. There is no record of an annular eclipse observable from this location in recent times. After the eclipses of 2026, 2027 and 2028, one will have to wait until 13 July 2075 for an annular eclipse and until 20 June 2327 for the next total eclipse.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum phase of the eclipse, at 20:36 local time, the Sun will be at azimuth 284°, that is, towards the west-northwest, barely 4° north of due west. Its height above the geometric horizon will be only 6°, a very low position that explains why local terrain blocks it. To observe the eclipse, it will be essential to have a completely clear view in that direction.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from Jaén
In Jaén, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:37 local time, with 97% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In Jaén, the Sun was 6° above the horizon, toward the WNW. But local terrain blocked the Sun before the eclipse ended: a nearby viewpoint with a clear horizon would have worked better.
This area typically sees around 0% median cloud cover at that hour, based on ten years of historical data — not a forecast for this specific eclipse.
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Don't miss it
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Eclipse schedule in Jaén
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:41:22 | 17:41:22 UTC | +16.6° | 276.1° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 20:26 | 18:26 UTC | +7.9° | 282.7° | |
| Maximumnot visible | 20:36:34 | 18:36:34 UTC | +6.0° | 284.2° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:28:13 | 19:28:13 UTC | -3.2° | 292.1° |
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
- 37.7692° N
- Longitude
- 3.7903° W
- Elevation
- 558 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:41:22
- Maximum
- 20:36:34
- Eclipse ends
- 21:28:13
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 21:11:38
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 46m 50s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 97%
- Sun altitude
- +6.0°
- Sun azimuth
- 284.2°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (284.2°)
284.2° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
5.98°
Sun altitude at maximum
7.12°
Terrain horizon
-1.14°
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 Jaén
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Almadén | 2036 m | 23.6 km | 99° E |
| Almadén Bajo | 1883 m | 22.5 km | 101° E |
| La Pandera | 1870.03 m | 15.5 km | 175° S |
| Peña del Altar | 1818 m | 15.8 km | 172° S |
| Cerrillo Caldera | 1773 m | 15.1 km | 180° S |
| Cerro de la Horca | 1766 m | 18.6 km | 171° S |
| Los Morales | 1722 m | 20.4 km | 169° S |
| Peñón de Alacún | 1704 m | 18.6 km | 168° SSE |
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The August sky
0%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 0%Median cloud cover · 0%P75 — cloudier days · 13%
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 Jaén
- Last total eclipseMay 12, 1706320 years ago
- Next total eclipseJune 20, 2327
- 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 Jaén
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Jaén?
Geometrically yes (97% obscuration), but the local terrain blocked the Sun before the eclipse ended from Jaén.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Jaén?
Maximum occurred at 20:36 local time (18:36 UTC) in Jaén.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Jaén?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 284°), 6° above the horizon at maximum from Jaén.
Was Jaén a good place to watch the eclipse?
Jaén was not the best choice: local terrain blocked the Sun before the eclipse ended. A nearby viewpoint with a clear horizon would have offered a better view.
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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