Solar eclipses 2026, 2025 and the love story of 1962: Why the sky is now your travel planner

Remember 8 April 2024? That weird light, the birds suddenly going silent, and all of us staring at the sky armed with protective glasses? The total solar eclipse over North America was just a taste of what's coming to Europe over the next few years. And if you're not paying attention now, come 12 August 2026 you'll literally be left staring at nothing – or worse: a cloudy sky over the wrong spot.

Because this time, the hotspot is damn close: Spain, specifically the Balearic Islands and the northern Spanish coast, will be the epicentre of this cosmic spectacle. Word from the islands is that hotels in Majorca for that week in August are already selling like hot cakes. So if you're hoping to snag a spot with ocean views and a clear line south-west, you'd better get moving. It's a bit like the total eclipses of recent years, except this time it's travel agents across Australia fielding the frantic calls.

Three dates you need to lock in

But before that big event, we've got the partial solar eclipse on 29 March 2025 to look forward to. Sure, from here in Australia it'll only look like a tiny nibble has been taken out of the sun, but for genuine fans, every bit of darkness counts. Things will really heat up on 12 August 2026 though – and not just in the sky, but on the ground too. Insiders reckon thousands from Australia alone will be jetting off to Palma, Valencia, or the Catalonian countryside.

• 29 March 2025: Partial solar eclipse – visible from Australia as a "bitten apple" during the morning.
• 12 August 2026: Total solar eclipse – Spain takes centre stage. Totality zone: including northern Spain and the Balearic Islands. Majorca is already absolutely buzzed.
• 2 August 2027: The next total eclipse in Southern Europe – but that's a story for another day.

Yeah, yeah, you might be thinking: "Bloody hell, I'll just watch it from my balcony." But a total solar eclipse is about immersion. That split-second feeling when day turns to night and a reddish glow flickers on the horizon. That's worth travelling for. And if you've been keeping an eye on booking figures for the islands, plenty of people clearly agree.

The love story of 1962 – what's that got to do with the moon?

And then there's this weird search term that's been trending for days: "Love story 1962". What's that got to do with an eclipse? Dig through the archives and you'll stumble upon 5 February 1962. That day, the sun darkened over large parts of Asia and the Pacific – but that alone doesn't explain the romance. The people who were there tell a different story though: it was the era of post-war optimism, of new beginnings, and heaps of couples used the eclipse's unique vibe to get hitched. My neighbour, born in 1940, swears she fell for her husband that afternoon – because he was the only bloke in the whole town square who could explain why the moon was kissing the sun. Maybe that's it: an eclipse sticks in your memory, and if you share it with someone, it becomes a proper heart-warmer.

Exactly the same thing will happen on 12 August 2026. Thousands of people will hold their breath together, and for many, that moment will become a lifelong memory – maybe even the start of a love story. So: plan now, grab your loved ones, and get ready for a celestial show that reminds us just how small we really are. And if you end up in Majorca without a hotel room – console yourself with a G&T and watch from the beach bar. The view's clear, and happiness is sometimes just that simple.