On April 8, coinciding with the sunset of the Sun, the solar eclipse could be partially observed from the westernmost islands. While in North America, Mexico and Canada an impressive total eclipse could be enjoyed, remaining completely dark for a few minutes, in some parts of Spain it was observed slightly. Galicia and the Canary Islands were the only lucky Spanish communities where this phenomenon has become visible, although it was seen for a few minutes.
In La Palma, it was observed better than expected. Although it coincided with sunset, and the weather forecasts were not the best, starting at 8:17 p.m. in the afternoon a small “bite” of the Moon began to be glimpsed, which covered 2% of the Sun, until approximately 8:27 p.m. when the Sun hid behind the clouds.
When can the next solar eclipse be observed?
The last event of this type in the Canary Islands occurred in 1959, and covered the entire surface of the sun, creating darkness that allowed the observation of stars and planets during the day. Although in the Canary Islands we will have to wait until the year 2243 to observe a total solar eclipse, in 2026 and 2027 we will be able to enjoy total solar eclipses on the Peninsula.
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, partially or completely blocking sunlight in certain areas of the Earth. This happens only during the new moon phase, when the Moon and the Sun are aligned in the same orbital plane. Depending on whether or not the Moon completely covers the solar disk, three types of eclipses can be distinguished:
Partial solar eclipse: the Moon does not completely cover the solar disk, which appears as a waning one.
Total solar eclipse: the Moon completely covers the Sun, although it can only be seen from certain areas of the Earth’s surface, along the so-called band of totality. Outside that area, the eclipse is partial. The totality of a solar eclipse usually lasts between two and seven and a half minutes, but the entire phenomenon can last up to two hours.
Annular solar eclipse: this phenomenon occurs when the apparent diameter of the Moon in the sky is less than the solar diameter. This occurs because the lunar orbit is elliptical. When the satellite is near apogee, that is, at the maximum distance from the Earth, perspective prevents it from completely obscuring the Sun. Therefore, during the maximum phase, a ring of the solar disk remains visible. Outside of this maximum stage, the eclipse is partial.