Millions flock to Europe for 'eclipse of the century,' first in 100 years

The moon covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Palencia, Spain, on Wednesday (local time). [AP]

Crowds of residents and tourists across Europe erupted in wonder Wednesday evening (local time) as the moon swept across the sun in a celestial spectacle that drew millions to the continent.

Spain and Iceland, where a total eclipse was visible, drew the largest gatherings, but partial eclipses blocking more than 95 percent of the sun also packed open vantage points across Britain and France. Special eclipse-viewing glasses sold out in many locations.

An astronomy enthusiast observes a partial solar eclipse in northwestern Switzerland on Wednesday (local time). [AFP]

Viewing sites filled with amateur astronomers carrying professional equipment, families wearing special glasses, and children clutching homemade pinhole viewers fashioned from cardboard boxes and aluminum foil.

When the moon fully covered the sun and plunged the surrounding area into darkness for several minutes, applause and cheers broke out across the crowds, Reuters, the AP and the BBC reported.

Sergio, a 60-year-old Italian who drove with his family to Arija in northern Spain in a camper van, told Reuters the experience moved him deeply. "I don't think I'll ever have a chance to see an eclipse like this again in my life," he said.

Medinaceli, a hilltop village in northeastern Spain with one of the best vantage points for the total eclipse, was packed with people who had been waiting for hours to secure a prime spot for the few minutes of totality.

Akata Bonk, a philosophy professor who traveled from Madrid to the village for the event, told the AP the sight was electrifying. "Suddenly darkness falls and the sun disappears — it's a thrilling thing to witness," she said.

It was the first time a total solar eclipse had been visible from the Iberian Peninsula since 1912, Reuters reported. Another total eclipse is expected over the region on Aug. 2, 2027, and an annular eclipse — in which a bright ring of sunlight remains visible around the moon's edge — is forecast for January 2028, completing what astronomers are calling an "Iberian eclipse trilogy."

Spain was expected to draw about 8 million tourists for the event, while Iceland, a country of 400,000 people, braced for an influx of 80,000 visitors.

Steinthor Jonsson, manager of Hotel Keflavik in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, said the crowds were unlike anything he had seen since the hotel opened in 1986 — the year US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held their summit in the city. "The turnout has been enormous," he said.

Some watched the eclipse from the sea.

The cruise ship MS Spitsbergen, sailing through the center of the Arctic Circle east of Greenland's Lipefjord, anchored in open water to give its 126 passengers an unobstructed view of the spectacle.

"All day, passengers kept coming up and asking me to find them a good spot," Captain Sverre Ryd told the AP. "Everyone is incredibly excited. It feels like Christmas Eve."

A partial solar eclipse is visible behind the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France, on Wednesday (local time). [AFP]

Britain and France fell short of totality but still saw the moon cover up to 96 percent and 99 percent of the sun, respectively. The BBC said it was the most significant eclipse Britain had experienced since 1999 and one that would not be matched for the next 50 years.

In London, crowds gathered at Greenwich, home of the Royal Observatory, to watch together.

mokiya@heraldcorp.com