Brian May watches total solar eclipse from Spain's Javalambre observatory

Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May traveled to the Javalambre observatory in Teruel, Spain, to witness the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. May, who holds a PhD in astrophysics, shared his experience on social media, describing the moment of totality as "un momento increíble" Source: El Confidencial. He emphasized the importance of using certified eclipse glasses and demonstrated safe viewing methods, such as pinhole projection Source: Infobae.

The experience

May arrived in Spain days before the eclipse, expressing excitement and hope despite possible cloud cover Source: ABC. At the observatory, he captured images of the corona and solar prominences, and also spotted a meteor Source: ABC. He described the eclipse as "una experiencia que cambia la vida" and noted its duration of about 1 minute and 40 seconds Source: Infobae.

Safety warnings

May repeatedly warned against looking directly at the Sun or using regular sunglasses, and advised against approaching telescopes or binoculars pointed at the Sun Source: Infobae. He demonstrated a simple projection method using a cardboard sheet with a small hole Source: Infobae.

Context

May's passion for astronomy dates back to his studies, which he resumed after Queen's success, completing his PhD in 2007 Source: El Confidencial. His presence in Spain highlights the country's astronomical appeal, with Javalambre being a prime location for observation Source: El Mundo.

Sources agree on the key facts, though El Confidencial and ABC provide more personal details, while Infobae focuses on safety advice and his comments on AI.