Ibiza will be the scene of a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, an exceptional astronomical phenomenon that has not occurred on the island for 115 years and also coincides with the full tourist season. The combination of these factors has led experts and authorities to warn about the need for advance planning to avoid saturation situations and security problems, especially in crowded enclaves such as the viewpoint of es Vedrà.
As explained in an interview in IB3 the spokesman of the Astronomical Association of Ibiza, Pedro Perez, the eclipse will be visible in a band of about 200 kilometers and will have a total duration of approximately two hours, although the most anticipated moment, the totality, will only last for a minute. This moment will occur at 20.33 hours, coinciding almost at sunset, when the star is only two degrees above sea level, a fact that adds uniqueness to the event.
The expectation generated by the eclipse has raised alarms about the massive influx of people that could be registered in certain parts of the island. Pérez warned that, without proper organization, the day could become a real “total chaos“, especially in areas such as Vedrà, an enclave already very frequented during the summer and which also concentrates a strong symbolic and mystical component associated with this type of phenomena.
In view of this situation, the Astronomical Association of Ibiza has already started meetings with the Consell Insular to identify the most conflictive points and design a security and access plan to manage the event with guarantees. The objective, according to the spokesman, is that the eclipse is experienced as a cultural and scientific celebration, and not as a problem of public order.
The attractiveness of the day will be reinforced by an unusual coincidence: the night of the eclipse will also coincide with the maximum activity of the Perseids, known as the Tears of St. Lawrence, and with the New Moon phase. This combination will make it possible to enjoy almost total darkness after sunset, creating optimal conditions for observing the star shower, without the interference of lunar light.
From the astronomical group stress that this is a unique opportunity for scientific dissemination and astronomical tourism on the island, but insist that the success of the event will depend largely on a rigorous planning. “An event of this magnitude can not be improvised,” said Perez, recalling that Ibiza will only experience an eclipse of these characteristics once per generation.
