The eclipse on August 12 left us all speechless. It was a unique event that experts had been waiting years for, due to the number of astronomical factors that coincided on the same date and at the same moment.
But coincidences never come alone, and the Iberian Peninsula is fortunate enough to be the main setting for three different eclipses within a three-year span. We experienced the first one just a few days ago, and we’ll be able to enjoy the next two less than six months apart: August 2, 2027, and January 26, 2028.
However, neither of these will be total in Valencia. The 2027 eclipse will only reach totality in Ceuta, Melilla, Cádiz, and some areas of Málaga, Granada, and Almería, but in the capital of the Turia River, it will be visible with 90% coverage at 10:54 a.m., so the Sun will be in a perfect position to observe it from almost anywhere in the city.
The eclipse on January 26, 2028, will be very different from the previous ones: the Moon will be farther from Earth, so it will not completely cover the Sun’s disk, and a ring of fire will be visible around the Moon.
The annular eclipse will be much longer than the previous ones; the peak will occur around 5:53 p.m. and will last about 6 minutes, coinciding with sunset (at an altitude of just 2.1°), which will make it more spectacular but also more difficult to observe.
The best viewing spots in Valencia and the Valencian Community
This past August’s eclipse showed us just how many people astro-tourism attracts and how much accommodation prices can skyrocket for an event of this kind, especially if you’re booking on short notice. That’s reason enough to give you a head start on the best spots in Valencia and the Valencian Community for observing the upcoming eclipses.
In Spain, the 2027 eclipse will only be visible as a total eclipse in certain parts of Andalusia and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, but there will also be areas in the Valencian Community with good visibility of the event. Especially in southern Alicante, in towns bordering Murcia such as Vega Baja del Segura, Orihuela, and Torrevieja, the percentage of totality will reach more than 95%.
The 2028 annular eclipse will be the best to observe in the Valencian Community out of the three we’ll experience this decade. The center of the path of totality runs through l’Horta Nord, and it will be visible for more than 7 minutes in Valencia.
The only potential drawbacks may be the Sun’s altitude (about 2.4°) and any buildings or obstacles that stand between your location and the Sun. The spots where the sunset is best viewed will also be the best places to enjoy this eclipse: Aras de los Olmos, the Garbí lookout point, the Albufera pier, the Muela de Cortes, and a long list of other locations throughout the region.
