The first total solar eclipse in Europe in 27 years was watched by millions of people. The eclipse lasted the longest—approximately 2 minutes and 18 seconds—in western Iceland.
Along the path of the “total solar eclipse,” which stretched from Iceland to Spain, millions of people gathered in public squares, observatories, and areas designated as official viewing sites. Scientists used aircraft and observation systems to record and study this rare celestial event.
The solar eclipse, which did not reach Turkey, progressed from the vicinity of the North Pole and Greenland to western Iceland, then across the Atlantic Ocean to the Iberian Peninsula. While the total solar eclipse created complete darkness for up to approximately two minutes along a narrow path, it was observed as a partial eclipse to varying degrees across much of Europe. The eclipse was visible in its entirety from Greenland, Iceland, Spain, a small part of Portugal, and the northern regions of Russia. A partial eclipse was observed in the rest of Europe, Northwest Africa, Canada, and the northern United States.
The total eclipse lasted the longest in western Iceland. There, the sun remained obscured for approximately 2 minutes and 18 seconds. Spain set up 350 official viewing areas due to the expected high turnout. More than 33,000 security personnel were deployed to ensure the safety of the solar eclipse viewing events.
