Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:35
Orihuela
38.085°, -0.944° · 32 m a.s.l.
99% of the Sun covered at maximum
Hidden by terrain · score 39/100 Sun at +4° · 286° WNW
Local terrain rises 1.90° above the Sun at peak.
Partial eclipse · 99% obscuration
ORIHUELA · 38.085° N -0.944° W
Photo: Joanbanjo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In Orihuela, the Moon covered 99% of the Sun.
At 20:35 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over Orihuela, 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 61/ 100
Full ring visible
See the eclipse from Orihuela minute by minute
Compare locations, save your plan and enable cloud alerts.
About Orihuela
Orihuela is a municipality in the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community, with just over 100,000 inhabitants and an altitude of barely 32 meters above sea level. Located in the Segura river valley, it occupies an inland enclave of the Levantine coast, surrounded by traditional orchards and the Orihuela mountain range, which dominates the city's southern profile. Its low, flat position directly affects astronomical visibility on the western horizon.
For this eclipse
On August 12, 2026, Orihuela will experience a partial solar eclipse, with maximum at 20:34 local time. At that moment the Sun will be only 4.2° above the horizon, with a margin of just 1.7° from the terrain profile. The eclipse is visible if the western horizon is clear, but any obstacle — buildings, trees, or the mountain range itself — can obstruct the view. It is advisable to find an elevated point with a clear line of sight toward the west-northwest.
The weather in August
August is the driest month of the year in Orihuela, with a low storm risk according to AEMET's historical records. The area enjoys a semi-arid Mediterranean climate that keeps the sky generally clear during summer, which is favorable for astronomical observation. Although specific numerical data on temperature or precipitation are not available for this particular season, the climate pattern of the region is one of the most stable in the Valencian Community during this time of year.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse recorded from Orihuela occurred on May 28, 1900, 126 years ago, with a totality duration of only 27 seconds, indicating that the city lay very close to the edge of the umbra's path. After the eclipses of 2026 and 2028, one must wait until July 13, 2075 for the next annular eclipse, and until June 20, 2327 for the next total eclipse visible from here.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum eclipse, the Sun will be at 4.2° altitude and an azimuth of 286°, oriented toward the west-northwest. That position corresponds to looking almost directly at sunset, slightly offset toward the north. With the Sun so close to the horizon, the quality of observation depends greatly on air transparency and the absence of obstacles in that direction. A viewpoint or rooftop with an open view to the west will substantially improve the experience.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
01
The eclipse from Orihuela
In Orihuela, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:35 local time, with 99% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In Orihuela, 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 7% median cloud cover at that hour, based on ten years of historical data — not a forecast for this specific eclipse.
02
Take this data to your site
Embed this eclipse on your site
Generate the code to embed the eclipse widget on your hotel, town hall or blog website.
<iframe src="https://eclipses.app/embed/widget?lat=38.0848&lon=-0.9440&size=standard&theme=dark&locale=en" width="320" height="340" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="Eclipse 2026"></iframe>03
Don't miss it
04
Eclipse schedule in Orihuela
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:40:47 | 17:40:47 UTC | +14.6° | 277.6° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 20:28 | 18:28 UTC | +5.5° | 284.6° | |
| Maximumnot visible | 20:35:17 | 18:35:17 UTC | +4.2° | 285.7° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:26:24 | 19:26:24 UTC | -4.9° | 293.6° |
Phases marked with ⛰️ were not seen: the Sun was already hidden behind the real terrain at that moment.
05
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
- 38.0848° N
- Longitude
- 0.9440° W
- Elevation
- 32 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:40:47
- Maximum
- 20:35:17
- Eclipse ends
- 21:26:24
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 21:00:58
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 45m 37s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 99%
- Sun altitude
- +4.2°
- Sun azimuth
- 285.7°
06
Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (285.7°)
285.7° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
4.18°
Sun altitude at maximum
6.08°
Terrain horizon
-1.90°
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 Orihuela
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantón | 922 m | 23.0 km | 349° NNW |
| la Vella | 838 m | 22.7 km | 19° NNE |
| Pic de Sant Gaità | 818 m | 20.4 km | 12° NNE |
| Alt de Sant Juri | 812 m | 21.2 km | 14° NNE |
| Sierra del Corqué | 786 m | 24.3 km | 313° NW |
| Cerro del Agudo | 731 m | 17.3 km | 350° N |
| el Campanar | 704 m | 22.3 km | 21° NNE |
| Cerro Agudico | 674 m | 24.0 km | 315° NW |
07
The August sky
7%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 0%Median cloud cover · 7%P75 — cloudier days · 38%
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 Orihuela
- Last total eclipseMay 28, 1900126 years ago
- Next total eclipseJune 20, 2327
- Next annular eclipseJuly 13, 2075
Solar eclipses computed from astronomical ephemerides for the city's coordinates.
08
Frequently asked questions about the eclipse in Orihuela
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Orihuela?
Geometrically yes (99% obscuration), but the local terrain blocked the Sun before the eclipse ended from Orihuela.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Orihuela?
Maximum occurred at 20:35 local time (18:35 UTC) in Orihuela.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Orihuela?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 286°), 4° above the horizon at maximum from Orihuela.
Was Orihuela a good place to watch the eclipse?
Orihuela 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.
09