Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:37
Níjar
36.967°, -2.206° · 367 m a.s.l.
96% of the Sun covered at maximum
Hidden by terrain · score 39/100 Sun at +4° · 285° WNW
Local terrain rises 10.24° above the Sun at peak.
Partial eclipse · 96% obscuration
NÍJAR · 36.967° N -2.206° W
Photo: Feranza · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In Níjar, the Moon covered 96% of the Sun.
At 20:37 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over Níjar, covering up to 96% 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 25/ 100
Marginal visibility — depends on fine horizon
See the eclipse from Níjar minute by minute
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About Níjar
Níjar is a municipality in Almería province, in Andalusia, located at 367 metres above sea level. With just over 26,500 inhabitants, it occupies an inland position in the Bajo Andarax region, close to the Cabo de Gata–Níjar Natural Park. The local economy has revolved around intensive agriculture and craftsmanship for decades, though tourism has gradually gained weight. The semi-arid climate of the area shapes much of the landscape and the way of life of its inhabitants.
For this eclipse
On 12 August 2026, Níjar will be within the zone of partial eclipse, but observation presents a serious difficulty: at maximum, at 20:36 local time, the Sun will be only 4.5° above the horizon. The local topographic horizon exceeds that elevation by 9.3°, so the solar disc will be completely hidden behind the surrounding relief. To see the eclipse, you will need to find a high vantage point with an open horizon to the west.
The weather in August
August in Níjar is hot and very dry. According to AEMET records from the 1991–2020 period, the average monthly temperature is around 27.2 °C, with typical highs of 31 °C and lows that rarely drop below 23 °C. August's average precipitation is just 2.3 mm, and the month accumulates over 328 hours of sunshine. The probability of clear skies reaches 79%, and the risk of thunderstorms is low: favourable conditions for astronomical observation if the horizon permits.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse to cross Níjar occurred on 12 May 1706, 320 years ago, with a totality duration of three minutes and sixteen seconds. Since then, the city has remained outside the path of totality. After the 2028 eclipse, the next significant event will be an annular eclipse on 13 July 2075. We will have to wait until 20 June 2327 for totality to cover this area again.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum eclipse on 12 August 2026 at 20:36 local time, the Sun will be at 4.5° altitude above the geometric horizon, with an azimuth of 285°: a direction equivalent to west-northwest. It is a very low angle, barely perceptible above an unobstructed horizon line. The surrounding relief, which exceeds that height by almost 10 degrees, explains why the solar disc will not be visible from Níjar's urban centre.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from Níjar
In Níjar, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:37 local time, with 96% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In Níjar, the Sun was 4° 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 3% 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 Níjar
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:42:44 | 17:42:44 UTC | +15.0° | 277.5° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 19:58 | 17:58 UTC | +12.0° | 279.6° | |
| Maximumnot visible | 20:37:21 | 18:37:21 UTC | +4.4° | 285.3° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:28:31 | 19:28:31 UTC | -4.8° | 293.1° |
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
- 36.9665° N
- Longitude
- 2.2060° W
- Elevation
- 367 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:42:44
- Maximum
- 20:37:21
- Eclipse ends
- 21:28:31
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 21:03:56
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 45m 47s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 96%
- Sun altitude
- +4.4°
- Sun azimuth
- 285.3°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (285.3°)
285.3° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
4.44°
Sun altitude at maximum
14.69°
Terrain horizon
-10.24°
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 Níjar
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| ColativíIn the Sun's direction | 1387 m | 9.1 km | 291° WNW |
| Cerro del ViveroIn the Sun's direction | 1329 m | 14.9 km | 279° W |
| PuntalIn the Sun's direction | 1287 m | 16.0 km | 279° W |
| MinaIn the Sun's direction | 1216 m | 5.4 km | 304° WNW |
| Cerro del Oro | 1193 m | 17.1 km | 277° W |
| Cerro Maciscuela | 1112 m | 8.6 km | 310° NW |
| Peñón de Turrillas | 1093 m | 8.2 km | 322° NW |
| Cerro del Minuto | 1091 m | 8.0 km | 322° NW |
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The August sky
Avg. temp.
27.2°C
Max / min
31.2° / 23.1°
Precipitation
2.3 mm
Storm risk
Low
Station ALMERÍA AEROPUERTO, 19 km away · Period 1991-2020 · Source: AEMET
3%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 0%Median cloud cover · 3%P75 — cloudier days · 16%
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 Níjar
- 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 Níjar
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Níjar?
Geometrically yes (96% obscuration), but the local terrain blocked the Sun before the eclipse ended from Níjar.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Níjar?
Maximum occurred at 20:37 local time (18:37 UTC) in Níjar.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Níjar?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 285°), 4° above the horizon at maximum from Níjar.
Was Níjar a good place to watch the eclipse?
Níjar 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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