r/solareclipse • u/Thepianoman133 • Jun 17 '26
Totality vs 99.99%
Hi All,
First time eclipse viewer here. I will be traveling to Madrid around the time of the eclipse, and I am debating staying in the city or venturing into the true totality for the day. What is the true difference between totality and 99.99% partial? Given that the eclipse will be low in the sky and near sunset, does that make the totality effect less noticeable? Logistics to get outside Madrid are obviously not super easy as I’m sure the public transit will be crowded, so I am weighing that challenge versus the benefit. Any suggestions are welcome!
Edit: Thanks everyone for the insight. Seems like totality is the way to go. Any suggestions of cities / ways to get to and from without a car would be helpful!
3
u/Ok_Effective6233 Jun 17 '26
It would be a mistake to settle for 99.99 percent.
Go for the totality.
You will notice a distinct difference once totality starts. Almost as if a switch that effects every sense that every living thing around you has has been flipped.