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What is an eclipse?
Last August, something incredible happened in Spain. The Moon covered the whole Sun. Day turned to night in the middle of the evening. It was the first total eclipse on the Spanish mainland since 1905 — more than 120 years! Next August, it happens again — in the south of Spain. And this time, you will be there.
The Sun is a star.
The Sun is a giant star — our star. It is super hot: about 5,500 degrees on its surface. It is so bright that looking at it can hurt your eyes. Always remember: the Sun is always on.
The Moon is a rock.
The Moon is a big ball of rock. It travels around the Earth, one lap every month — about 29 and a half days. It has no light of its own. It shines because the Sun lights it up.
Sometimes they line up.
Sometimes the Moon passes exactly between the Sun and the Earth. The Moon blocks the sunlight. Its shadow falls on the Earth. That is a solar eclipse.
Total means ALL.
If you stand in the darkest part of the shadow, the Moon covers the Sun completely. That is a TOTAL eclipse. The sky goes dark. You can see the Sun's soft white glow — the corona. If you stand outside that dark spot, you only see a partial eclipse — the Moon takes a bite out of the Sun, but never covers it.
Your eclipse.
On 2 August 2027, the Moon's dark shadow will sweep across the Atlantic Ocean, over Morocco, and across the very south of Spain. Tarifa is inside the shadow path. From our beach, the Moon will cover the whole Sun for 4 minutes and 37 seconds. The show starts at 9:41 in the morning. Totality is at 10:45.
Line Them Up
Wow Corner
Long ago in China, people believed a dragon in the sky was eating the Sun! They banged drums and gongs to scare it away — and it always worked. The Sun always came back. In Chinese, the word for eclipse even means 'Sun eat'!
for grown-ups — long-press to open
Grown-ups Corner
The 12 Aug 2026 total eclipse crossed northern Spain at sunset (first on the Spanish mainland since 1905). Optional depth: the Moon's orbit is tilted ~5°, which is why there isn't an eclipse every month. Tarifa's totality: 4m37.3s (NASA-verified).