August 12 eclipse: superstitious Spain braces itself

The August 12 eclipse: science, superstition and three dates in Spain

At 8.30 pm on August 12, the solar eclipse will begin in Greenland and, according to available information, cross part of Europe before fading over the eastern waters of Mallorca. In Spain, the phenomenon adds to an unusual streak: three eclipses visible in 2026, 2027 and 2028. The coincidence has set off alarms — and not exactly astronomical ones.

The eclipse's esoteric rulebook

The most superstitious currents warn of a «dead light» during the phenomenon: contaminated radiation that would require staying indoors, closing the blinds and fasting. The myth has its roots in pre-Hispanic America, where the Tzitzimime, star deities, waited to devour humanity during an eclipse. Antiestéticar coexists with sarcasm: while some will not drink water, others point out that the greatest risk is having their wallet stolen while they look at the sky.

Coincidence or Iberian alignment?

The 2026-2028 sequence is statistically striking, but it has an explanation: the alignment of the Moon with the Sun and the geography of the Iberian Peninsula. The phenomenon, which already had a prelude with the annular eclipse of February 17, is repeating itself with unusual frequency. Even so, the question of whether it is a sign for the «elites» runs through the debates. Meanwhile, the official advice is the usual one: do not look directly at the sun and use certified glasses. The esoteric advice is more demanding: no looking, no drinking, no going out. A disparity that says more about us than about the phenomenon.

Bonnie Tyler has just passed away, and her «Total Eclipse of the Heart» plays in the background. The coincidence has no rational explanation. And that, at this point, is the fact that unsettles.