The European Space Agency (ESA) will open this Wednesday at 5:30 PM the venue set up in the Congress and Exhibition Palace of León to observe the total solar eclipse with the public. The day will be free, will not require prior registration, and will feature scientists, engineers, and astronomy specialists who will explain each phase of the phenomenon live.
Today is the day! 🌑☀️
— ESA España (@esa_es) August 12, 2026
The city of León is experiencing a total solar eclipse with us. We start with workshops and activities in the Congress and Exhibition Palace from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM CEST. In the afternoon, we open the outdoor venue at 5:30 PM CEST to accompany you in each phase… pic.twitter.com/MfLfnAXaz6
The meeting is organized by the European Space Agency, the City Council of León, and the University of León. Although access will begin at 5:30 PM, the program on stage will start at 6:30 PM and will last until 9:45 PM.
What time does the ESA venue in León open
The ESA has confirmed through its official channels that the doors of the outdoor space of the Congress and Exhibition Palace of León will open at 5:30 PM.
The opening will take place one hour before the start of the program to facilitate the entry of attendees and allow the public to find a suitable location. The organization recommends arriving early, especially since there is no prior reservation system.
Entry will be free and it will not be necessary to present a registration. The stage program will be conducted entirely in Spanish.
ESA Program to view the eclipse in León
Activities will begin at 6:30 PM with a welcome and an intervention dedicated to the exploration of the Universe from Spain. Carlos Corral Van Damme, from the ESA, and Alicia Miró, from the Spanish Space Agency, will explain the first ESA mission led from Spain and its role in cosmic research.
At 6:50 PM, the talk "The Sun We Do Not See" will begin, focused on solar storms and the effects that our star's activity can have on satellites, communications, navigation systems, and other technologies.
The institutional greeting is scheduled for 7:15 PM and will include the mayor of León, José Antonio Diez; the rector of the University of León, Nuria González; and Mickaël Tonnado, head of Strategy for the ESA Scientific Program.
The eclipse will begin in León at 19:33 hours
According to the official program, the eclipse will begin to be visible in León at 19:33 hours. From that moment on, specialists from the ESA, the University of León, and the León Astronomy Association will accompany the public through a guided observation.
The experts will explain why eclipses occur, what particularities the phenomenon of this August 12 presents, and what details to pay attention to while the Moon advances over the solar disk.
At 20:00 hours, there will be a presentation on the space missions used to study the Sun when there are no eclipses. Esther Bastida from the ESA and Pablo Gutiérrez from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research will participate.
Totality will occur between 20:28 and 20:30 hours
The most anticipated moment of the day will occur between 20:28 and 20:30 hours, when the Moon will completely obscure the Sun and the brightness will drop sharply.
Only during that brief interval of totality can the phenomenon be viewed directly without eye protection. While any part of the Sun remains visible, it will be mandatory to use certified glasses.
Immediately after, between 20:31 and 20:33 hours, the stage will connect with the ESA broadcast from the Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre, in Teruel. The time difference in the path of the shadow will allow attendees to witness two consecutive moments of totality: first in León and then through images from Teruel.
At 20:35 hours, the most notable images and some of the observed phenomena will be reviewed. The partial phase will continue until 21:22 hours and the event will end at 21:45.
The ESA will distribute glasses until supplies run out
The organization will offer certified glasses for observing the eclipse for free, although it warns that they will be distributed until supplies run out. Availability, therefore, is not guaranteed for those who arrive later.
The ESA recommends bringing water, sunscreen, and a cap, as much of the program will take place outdoors and temperatures can be high.
The glasses must be kept on during all partial phases. They can only be removed when the Moon completely covers the solar disk and must be put back on as soon as the first flash of light reappears.