Annular eclipse — a ring at Spanish sunset (2028)
On 26 January 2028 an annular eclipse is due to cross Ecuador, Peru and Brazil, then the Atlantic, and end around sunset over Portugal and Spain. From Seville and other Spanish cities the ring of fire will hang low above the western horizon.
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The story
In the eclipse of 26 January 2028 the Moon cannot cover the whole Sun. On that day the Moon is a little farther from Earth than average, so it looks smaller than the Sun. Even at the deepest moment, the edge of the Sun stays visible as a bright ring. This is called an annular eclipse, often known as a ring of fire. Where the ring lasts longest, it stays in place for more than ten minutes.
The strip where the ring can be seen starts at the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, passes over Ecuador and Peru, and crosses the Amazon region of Brazil and French Guiana before heading out over the Atlantic. After the ocean crossing it reaches Madeira and southern Portugal, then Spain. There it runs through Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada and continues east as far as Valencia and Barcelona.
By the time the shadow reaches the Iberian Peninsula, the Sun is already setting. In Europe the ring therefore hangs low over the western horizon, and in some places the eclipse ends together with sunset. Light from a low Sun passes through a thick layer of air and turns redder, so the ring is likely to look orange rather than white. Being able to fit buildings or hills into the same picture as the ring is another way this differs from a midday eclipse.
The January date helps make this an annular eclipse. Earth is closest to the Sun in early January, so the Sun looks slightly larger than usual at that time. When a larger-looking Sun meets a smaller-looking Moon, the Moon cannot cover it and a ring is left. Set the sky view to Seville and move the time to that evening, and the ring is reproduced hanging low in the western sky.
Viewing guide — where, when, how
The ring can only be seen inside a strip that crosses the Galápagos, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and French Guiana and continues to Portugal and Spain. In South America it happens during the day; on the Iberian Peninsula it happens around sunset. Across a much wider area, including most of South America, the Caribbean, western Europe and West Africa, a partial eclipse is visible. In Europe the Sun will be very low, so the most important step is finding a coast or hill with a clear view to the west.
An annular eclipse never has a moment when it is safe to look without protection. From start to finish, even when the ring is most complete, you need eclipse glasses certified to ISO 12312-2. A Sun close to the horizon may seem less dazzling, but it is just as harmful to the eyes. Binoculars, telescopes and cameras need a solar filter over the front, and that filter must stay on for the whole eclipse.
For photography, a low Sun is actually an opportunity. An ordinary lens can capture the ring together with the landscape, and a telephoto lens will record how the moving air near the horizon makes the ring look wobbly and squashed. If you cannot travel, replay the day in the orbit view: the Moon's shadow is reproduced moving from South America across the Atlantic to Europe.
See this for yourself — open that sky at that moment · replay the moment in the orbit view
Why this eclipse is special
An annular eclipse shows that the Moon does not circle Earth in a perfect circle but on a slightly stretched path. The distance between Earth and the Moon keeps changing, and so does the Moon's apparent size. If the Moon covers the Sun while it is near, the result is a total eclipse; if it does so while it is far, the result is an annular eclipse. The same line-up gives completely different results depending on that one distance.
An annular eclipse is also a chance to measure the Sun's size accurately. As the ring breaks or joins up, sunlight leaks through valleys on the Moon's edge like a string of beads, known as Baily's beads. Timing those moments precisely from several places allows the Sun's radius to be calculated. Now that spacecraft have mapped the Moon's landscape in detail, this method is far more accurate than it used to be.
An annular eclipse lacks the corona of a total eclipse. The remaining ring is still very bright, so the corona stays hidden and the sky does not turn dark like night. Knowing this in advance avoids disappointment. An annular eclipse is not a small version of a total one; it is a different kind of event, and it offers sights a total eclipse cannot, such as a ring sitting on the horizon.
Background and earlier eclipses
Spain gets three eclipses in a short time. A total eclipse crossed northern Spain on 12 August 2026, another total eclipse clips the southern tip of the country on 2 August 2027, and this annular eclipse follows on 26 January 2028. Three major eclipses in one country within about a year and a half is unusual.
The South American part of the path is special too. The strip links places with very different heights and climates, from the Galápagos in the ocean to the high Andes and the wide, low Amazon basin. The same ring seen from a high mountain with thin, clear air and from a humid, cloudy tropical lowland will be seen under very different conditions.
More annular eclipses follow. On 1 June 2030 one crosses North Africa, Greece and Russia and passes over Hokkaido in Japan, and there is another in 2031. Taken over the whole Earth, annular eclipses are not rarer than total ones, because the Moon spends a good part of its orbit far enough away to fall short of covering the Sun. From any single city, though, the wait until the next one is long.
FAQ
How is an annular eclipse different from a total one?
The Moon does not cover the Sun completely, so a bright ring is left. The corona stays hidden, the sky never turns dark like night, and there is no moment when looking without protection is safe. It happens when the Moon is on the far side of its orbit.
When can I take the eclipse glasses off?
Never, during this eclipse. Even when the ring is complete you need glasses certified to ISO 12312-2. A Sun near the horizon may look gentler, but it is just as harmful, so the rule does not relax at sunset.
Where in Spain is it visible?
The strip starts at Huelva and Seville in the south-west and runs through Córdoba, Málaga and Granada to Valencia and Barcelona. Outside the strip only a partial eclipse is visible. Because it happens near sunset, a place with a clear western view matters most.
When is the next annular eclipse?
On 1 June 2030 an annular eclipse crosses North Africa, Greece and Russia and passes over Hokkaido in Japan, and another follows in 2031. For any one area, though, annular eclipses remain rare visitors.
Related
- The great eclipse of 2027 over Egypt
- The 2028 total eclipse over Sydney
- The 2030 annular eclipse over Hokkaido
- The Sun — object index
- The Moon — object index
Times and figures are approximate — verify with official sources when planning travel. Simulation uses J2000 mean elements.