Eclipse 12 Aug 2026 · 20:35
Santa Pola
38.192°, -0.566° · 7 m a.s.l.
99% of the Sun covered at maximum
Visible · score 49/100 Sun at +4° · 286° WNW
The Sun clears local terrain by 2.63° at peak.
Partial eclipse · 99% obscuration
SANTA POLA · 38.192° N -0.566° W
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Cookie assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
In Santa Pola, the Moon covered 99% of the Sun.
At 20:35 local time, the Moon took a bite out of the Sun over Santa Pola, 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 63/ 100
Full ring visible
See the eclipse from Santa Pola minute by minute
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About Santa Pola
Santa Pola is a coastal municipality in the province of Alicante, integrated into the Valencian Community, with a population of approximately 31,760 inhabitants. Located just 7 meters above sea level, the urban core extends along the Mediterranean, between the salt marshes and the cape that bear its name. Its economy combines artisanal fishing, salt industry, and sun-and-beach tourism, activities that have shaped its character and coastal landscape.
For this eclipse
On August 12, 2026, Santa Pola will witness a partial solar eclipse. Maximum eclipse will occur at 20:34 local time, with the Sun at 4 degrees above the horizon and a clearance of 3.5 degrees from the topographic horizon: the eclipse will be fully visible from the coast. The Sun's position—toward the west-northwest, at azimuth 286°—suggests seeking a location with a clear horizon in that direction, such as the waterfront.
The weather in August
August is the warmest and sunniest month in Santa Pola. According to AEMET data from the 1991–2020 period, the average monthly temperature reaches 26.4 °C, with highs of 30.8 °C and lows of 22 °C. The municipality receives about 310 hours of sunshine during the month, with a clear sky probability of 75%. Average precipitation is low at just 10.2 mm, although there is a moderate risk of Mediterranean-type thunderstorms in August.
Past eclipses
The last total eclipse visible from Santa Pola occurred on May 28, 1900, 126 years ago, lasting 76 seconds of totality. More recently, the annular eclipse of October 3, 2005 obscured 90.4% of the solar disk for 98 seconds. After the eclipses of 2026, 2027, and 2028 pass, one must wait until July 13, 2075 for the next annular eclipse visible from this municipality.
Direction and altitude of the Sun
At the moment of maximum eclipse, at 20:34, the Sun will be toward the west-northwest, with an azimuth of 286°. Its height above the horizon will be just 4 degrees, requiring a clear horizon in that direction. From Santa Pola's coast, facing open sea, the viewing angle is clear with a margin of 3.5 degrees above the topographic horizon, ensuring that the maximum phase of the eclipse is observable.
Editorial text by eclipses.app · Data: Wikidata, AEMET, NASA and JPL planetary ephemerides.
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The eclipse from Santa Pola
In Santa Pola, the eclipse reached its maximum at 20:35 local time, with 99% of the Sun covered by the Moon.
In Santa Pola, the Sun was 4° above the horizon, toward the WNW. Even so, a clear horizon toward the WNW helped.
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.
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<iframe src="https://eclipses.app/embed/widget?lat=38.1917&lon=-0.5658&size=standard&theme=dark&locale=en" width="320" height="340" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="Eclipse 2026"></iframe>03
Don't miss it
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Eclipse schedule in Santa Pola
Local time · Europe/Madrid| Phase | Local time | UTC | Progress | Sun alt. | Sun az. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 — Partial begins | 19:40:35 | 17:40:35 UTC | +14.3° | 277.8° | |
| Maximum | 20:35:00 | 18:35:00 UTC | +4.0° | 285.9° | |
| The Sun sets behind the terrain(terrain event, not an eclipse phase) | 20:50 | 18:50 UTC | +1.3° | 288.2° | |
| C4 — Partial endsnot visible | 21:26:04 | 19:26:04 UTC | -5.0° | 293.8° |
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
- 38.1917° N
- Longitude
- 0.5658° W
- Elevation
- 7 m
Eclipse phases
- Eclipse begins
- 19:40:35
- Maximum
- 20:35:00
- Eclipse ends
- 21:26:04
- Sunset (flat horizon)
- 20:59:40
Duration
- Eclipse
- 1h 45m 29s
Values at maximum
- Obscuration
- 99%
- Sun altitude
- +4.0°
- Sun azimuth
- 285.9°
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Sun direction and altitude at maximum
It was toward WNW (285.9°)
285.9° WNW
Azimuth at maximum
3.98°
Sun altitude at maximum
1.36°
Terrain horizon
+2.63°
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 Santa Pola
| Peak | Elevation | Distance | Azimuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alt de Sant Pascual | 555 m | 22.5 km | 339° NNW |
| Serra de la Venta | 515 m | 23.0 km | 344° NNW |
| Sierra de las Águilas | 505 m | 22.6 km | 343° NNW |
| Puntal de l'Alcoraia | 484 m | 22.0 km | 340° NNW |
| Alt de Fontcalent | 446 m | 18.0 km | 353° N |
| Serra Mitjana | 407 m | 21.4 km | 353° N |
| Tabaià | 403 m | 19.1 km | 322° NW |
| Penya NegraIn the Sun's direction | 371 m | 24.5 km | 292° WNW |
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The August sky
Avg. temp.
26.4°C
Max / min
30.8° / 22°
Precipitation
10.2 mm
Storm risk
Medium
Station ALICANTE-ELCHE AEROPUERTO, 10 km away · Period 1991-2020 · Source: AEMET
7%Historical average cloud cover
P25 — clearer days · 1%Median cloud cover · 7%P75 — cloudier days · 40%
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 Santa Pola
- 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 Santa Pola
Was the eclipse of August 12, 2026 visible from Santa Pola?
Yes, partial eclipse: the Sun was 99% covered at maximum from Santa Pola.
What time was the eclipse maximum in Santa Pola?
Maximum occurred at 20:35 local time (18:35 UTC) in Santa Pola.
Which direction was the Sun in during the eclipse from Santa Pola?
The Sun was toward the WNW (azimuth 286°), 4° above the horizon at maximum from Santa Pola.
Was Santa Pola a good place to watch the eclipse?
Santa Pola could see the eclipse with limitations (score 49/100): 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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