Total Eclipse

While looking for places to witness the 2026 total eclipse, we stumbled upon a magical place.

Atop a hill overlooking Riaza Valley stands the small town of Haza, a relic of the past. In the year 912 it was repopulated and became a strategic stronghold on the Duero defensive line. From its walls, the Duero and Riaza valleys were controlled. A place with high ground was the perfect spot to enjoy the spectacle the Moon and Sun had for us, lucky Spaniards.

If I wasn't lucky enough, I got the best companions anyone could have for this occasion, some astrophysicists, colleagues of mine, which made this event stellar.

In the afternoon, the Astronomy Association of Sabadell visited the town and began organizing the event. It was unexpected, but the crowd was surprisingly large. They even outnumbered us and all the town folks.

For me, it was the first time I witnessed an eclipse (partial and total), and I'm still processing the experience. The partial phase lasted several minutes, and I had my camera and tripod set up to capture every instant. The totality was beautiful, magical, and calming, freezing time for a moment. Some people were trying to get the best shot, others were looking through a telescope or binoculars, while a few knew it would be the last eclipse they would witness. After the brief 100 seconds of totality, everything went back to normal. Except it began to grow dark again. The sunset was coming while the Sun was still partially eclipsed giving it a red glow.

Given that a total eclipse is already so rare, witnessing it alongside a sunset was a one-in-a-lifetime event.