Upcoming eclipses visible from Málaga: a total solar eclipse in 2027 and a ‘ring of fire’ in 2028

The eclipse seen on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 will not be an isolated event. Spain is currently experiencing an exceptional sequence of astronomical phenomena known as the Iberian Eclipse Trio, which will continue in 2027 and 2028 and will place Málaga among the best locations from which to watch them.

The next major date is 2 August 2027. This time, Málaga will not have to settle for seeing around 95% of the Sun covered, as happened this week: the city will be directly inside the path of totality. For around one minute and 48 seconds, the Moon will completely cover the solar disc.

There will then be a third major event. On 26 January 2028, Málaga will be able to witness an annular solar eclipse, popularly known as a “ring of fire”, completing this remarkable three-year astronomical sequence.

Before then, another event is much closer on the calendar: during the early hours of 28 August 2026, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible across Spain, including Málaga.

The next eclipse in Málaga will be on 28 August 2026

Anyone left wanting more after this week’s solar eclipse will not even have to wait until 2027.

During the early hours of Friday, 28 August 2026, a partial lunar eclipse will take place and will be visible throughout Spain.

Unlike a solar eclipse, no special glasses or protective equipment will be required. Lunar eclipses can be watched safely with the naked eye.

The eclipse will reach a magnitude of 0.93, meaning a large part of the Moon will enter the Earth’s shadow.

It will also be visible from other parts of Europe, Africa, the Americas and western Asia.

To see it, observers will simply need a location with a clear view of the sky and, of course, favourable weather conditions.

2 August 2027: Málaga will experience a total solar eclipse

The major date to mark on the calendar is Monday, 2 August 2027.

Almost one year after the 2026 eclipse, the Moon’s shadow will once again cross Spain. This time, however, the path of totality will move much further south, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and covering a large part of Málaga province.

Málaga city itself will be inside the path of totality.

According to official calculations, the eclipse will begin in the city at 9:41:58 am.

Totality will start at 10:48:02 am, reach its maximum at 10:48:56 am and end at 10:49:51 am.

That means Málaga will experience approximately one minute and 48 seconds of total eclipse. The partial phases will then continue until the event ends completely at 12:02:28 pm.

What will happen during those 108 seconds?

This will be the major difference compared with the August 2026 eclipse.

This week, a small part of the Sun always remained visible from Málaga, which meant certified eclipse glasses had to be worn throughout any direct observation.

On 2 August 2027, however, there will be a brief period when the Moon completely covers the Sun.

During those seconds of totality, the sky will darken and observers will be able to see one of the most spectacular features of a total eclipse: the solar corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, which is normally hidden by its intense brightness.

Only during totality may eye protection be removed for direct viewing. Before the Sun is completely covered and as soon as any part of it reappears, certified eclipse glasses must be worn again.

From Marbella to Nerja: much of Málaga will be inside the path of totality

The 2027 path of totality will cover a large part of the province.

As well as Málaga city, Costa del Sol destinations including Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola and Torremolinos will be within the area where the Moon completely covers the Sun.

Municipalities around Ronda, the Genal Valley and large parts of the Axarquía coastline and inland areas will also experience totality.

Exact timings and duration will vary depending on location.

In Marbella, for example, totality is expected to last from approximately 10:46:41 am until 10:49:57 am, giving observers more than three minutes of complete darkness.

In Torremolinos, totality will run from around 10:47:29 am to 10:50:09 am, while in Nerja it is expected between approximately 10:48:46 am and 10:50:25 am.

This will make Málaga province one of Spain’s prime destinations for watching the 2027 eclipse.

A particularly favourable eclipse for Málaga

The timing will also make the 2027 eclipse easier to observe.

While the 2026 eclipse took place at sunset, with the Sun very low over the horizon and buildings, mountains and trees potentially blocking the view, the next event will happen in the morning.

At maximum eclipse, the Sun will be around 39 degrees above the horizon in Málaga city, providing considerably better viewing conditions.

The total eclipse will also cross Cádiz, Ceuta, Melilla and the southernmost parts of Granada and Almería. Elsewhere in Spain, it will remain visible as a partial eclipse.

On a global scale, it will also be one of the most remarkable eclipses of the century. Maximum totality will occur in Egypt, where the Sun will remain completely covered for around 6 minutes and 23 seconds.

26 January 2028: Málaga will see a ‘ring of fire’

The third major event will arrive less than six months later.

On Wednesday, 26 January 2028, an annular solar eclipse will once again place much of southern Spain in a privileged viewing position.

An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun but appears slightly too small to cover it completely.

As a result, a bright circle of sunlight remains visible around the Moon: the famous “ring of fire”.

Málaga will be inside the path of annularity.

What time will the 2028 annular eclipse be visible in Málaga?

In Málaga city, the eclipse will begin at 4:36:00 pm on 26 January 2028.

The annular phase will start at 5:54:09 pm, with maximum eclipse at 5:56:37 pm.

The ring will remain visible until approximately 5:59:04 pm, giving Málaga almost five minutes of annularity.

There will, however, be one important challenge: the Sun will be very low on the horizon.

At maximum eclipse, it will be only around six degrees above the horizon in Málaga, so finding somewhere with a completely unobstructed view towards the west will be essential.

The Sun is expected to set in Málaga at approximately 6:36 pm that day.

Mountains, buildings and trees could therefore pose a much greater problem than during the 2027 eclipse.

Eclipse glasses must stay on during the 2028 ‘ring of fire’

There will also be a crucial difference in terms of safety.

Although the 2028 eclipse will be visually spectacular, the Sun will never be completely covered.

There will therefore be no equivalent to the totality phase of 2027 when direct viewing becomes safe.

Certified solar eclipse glasses must remain on whenever looking directly at the Sun, including during the moment when the “ring of fire” appears.

Three exceptional years for astronomy in Spain

The sequence taking place in Spain between 2026 and 2028 is highly unusual.

The eclipse of 12 August 2026 was the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century, although Málaga lay outside the path of totality and experienced it as a partial eclipse.

On 2 August 2027, the situation will effectively be reversed: the path of totality will cross southern Spain, giving Málaga a starring role.

Finally, the 26 January 2028 annular eclipse will bring the so-called Iberian Eclipse Trio to an end.

After that, Spain will have to wait until 2053 before another total solar eclipse can be seen from somewhere in the country.

Upcoming eclipses visible from Málaga

🌕 28 August 2026 – Partial lunar eclipse
Visible from Málaga during the early hours of the morning. No special eye protection is required.

☀️ 2 August 2027 – Total solar eclipse
In Málaga city, the eclipse will begin at 9:41:58 am. Totality will last from 10:48:02 am to 10:49:51 am, with maximum eclipse at 10:48:56 am.

🔥 26 January 2028 – Annular solar eclipse
The eclipse will begin in Málaga at 4:36 pm. The “ring of fire” will be visible from approximately 5:54 pm to 5:59 pm, with maximum eclipse at 5:56:37 pm.

After the spectacle seen this August, Málaga will have to wait only a year for an even more extraordinary event. In 2027, total darkness will arrive in the middle of the morning, followed just months later by the solar ring of 2028.

Dates, exact timings by municipality, maps of the paths of totality and annularity, and official viewing advice can be checked on the official eclipse portal from Spain’s National Geographic Institute and National Astronomical Observatory.