Europe Awaits First Total Solar Eclipse in Decades Amid Weather Concerns
A total solar eclipse will cross Europe on Wednesday, with totality expected in Iceland and parts of Spain, while cloudy conditions threaten visibility in several locations.
The total solar eclipse will begin around 6:08 p.m. Central European Time over northern Russia and move across the Arctic Ocean before reaching Iceland, where totality is forecast for 5:48 p.m. local time. Cloud cover in Reykjavik may limit viewing, and officials warned of disappointment among spectators.
In Spain, the path of totality will cover up to 40 percent of the country. Authorities expressed concern that the ongoing severe fire season could be exacerbated by eclipse-watchers in wooded areas, and some local events have been cancelled as a precaution.
Scientists will use the eclipse to study the sun’s corona and its effects on Earth’s atmosphere. NASA plans to fly jets equipped with special cameras and launch weather balloons in Iceland and Spain to record changes in the boundary layer and ozone production. "The sun impacts our daily life, satellites and astronauts in space, and we can take advantage of this moment to advance our understanding of that influence," NASA eclipse program manager Kelly Korreck said.
Citizen scientists in Spain will contribute observations of animal behavior and light-pollution effects as part of the TriEclipse Project, which aims to document how wildlife responds to sudden darkness.
In the United Kingdom, clear skies are expected over London, Paris, Milan and Lisbon, where more than 90 percent of the sun will be obscured. Local authorities reported a surge in demand for certified eclipse glasses, and advised the public to use approved protective eyewear or indirect viewing methods such as pinhole projectors.
Safety officials emphasized that looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage, and warned that ordinary sunglasses do not meet the ISO 12312-2 safety standard.
In Iceland, police coordinator Johann B. Skulason and eclipse-watch organizer noted that many visitors have traveled to remote coastal areas despite forecasts of rain, underscoring the high public interest in the rare astronomical event.