On this Day: The total Solar Eclipse of 1905

By Ferran Garcés

The image we have chosen as the header for our article is the cover of the Barcelona-based magazine Mundo Científico, published shortly after a great phenomenon that captivated the world’s attention (1). On that August 30, 1905, the sun disappeared over northern Canada, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt (2). In Spain, the phenomenon could be seen in several locations, including La Coruña, Burgos, Segovia, Vinaroz, and Barcelona. It was the second of the first three total solar eclipses of the 20th century, which are internationally known as “The Spanish Eclipses” (3). The best astronomers of the time spread out across the fortunate zone, along with amateurs and tourists of all kinds. The worldwide attention generated further amplified the eclipse’s impact on local residents, making it both a scientific and social phenomenon.

Josep Maria Figueras i Bas, a descendant of the first owners of Torre Bellesguard, the Figueras family, edited a book about his ancestors. Thanks to him, we know the name of one of the people who went to Barcelona in time to be there on the big day: “On August 28, 1905, Francesc de P. Figueras i Sagués writes a postcard to his wife Antònia Molina i Saurel, who is at Torre Bellesguard, on the occasion of the total solar eclipse” (4).

We don’t have any copy of that postcard. Nor do we know what Gaudí thought of that eclipse. What has been preserved is another postcard published that same year. If we look at the text, the date is August 27, one day before Francesc de P. Figueras’. In it, we can see the city of Barcelona from an unusual perspective, that is, facing away from the sea, nestled against the Collserola mountain range. A distinct structure stands out, an observatory designed to observe and study the sky…

The Fabra Observatory, one of the oldest active observatories in the world, was built at the same time Gaudí began work on Torre Bellesguard at the start of the 20th century. In some photos from the time, amidst a completely unpopulated landscape, no other construction is visible (5). What an ideal place to observe the sky on that August 30, 1905, although the eclipse in Barcelona, due to its location slightly outside the zone of totality, was just partial (6).

Past and Future, an Imminent Future…

The first eclipse recorded in history occurred on the afternoon of October 30, 1207 BC, during the reign of Ramses II, the Great. Since then, no other atmospheric phenomenon has captivated the human mind so much. Fortunately, eclipses occur relatively frequently. Several will happen again soon, but one in particular, on August 12, 2026, will be the most spectacular (7). The coincidence will be extraordinary, considering it will be very similar to the 1905 eclipse.

On the day of the eclipse, in addition, the restoration of Torre Bellesguard, which will begin shortly, will have already been completed, so for the first time, the entire house will be open to visitors. We have several surprises planned to celebrate the event. As the date approaches, we will keep you informed. In the meantime, mark the date on your calendar!

Notes

(1) A. A., (1905) “El eclipse de Sol de 30 de agosto”, El Mundo Científico, 7, 544-547.

(2) At that time, some of these territories had a different map configuration. Algeria and Tunisia, for example, were French colonies. Libya and Egypt were part of the Ottoman Empire (the name of Libya then was the vilayet of Tripoli, also known as Tripolitania).

(3) Exposición 2009, Los eclipses españoles, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, web de la UPM.

(4) Figueras i Bas, Josep Mª, (2016) La familia Figueras. Los señores de Bellesguard, Fotoletra, Barcelona, p. 64.

(5) In reality, there were other buildings, but they were very scattered. Remember that at the beginning of the 20th century, Sant Gervasi, a village annexed to Barcelona in 1897, was just starting to be urbanized. Among the few buildings near Torre Bellesguard, in addition to the Observatory, were the Escola Pía de Calasanz (inaugurated in 1895), Tibidabo (1901), Casa Arnús, also known as El Pinar (1903), or L’Empar de Santa Lucía (1909), which today houses the CosmoCaixa Museum. However, despite the monumental aspect of these buildings, in 1905 the general environment was more rural: Redacción (12/11/2023), “El Archivo Fotográfico muestra la Barcelona más agreste y rural del 1900” La Vanguardia

(6) José Comas i Solà, the first director of the Fabra Observatory, was one of the main figures in observing the 1905 eclipse. However, since Barcelona could not observe it in its totality, the expedition led by him moved to Vinaroz, in Castellón. The great impact of the phenomenon, in any case, was one of the main reasons that modern astronomy was boosted in Catalonia, thanks to him and the observatory.
Redacción (17/12/2018), “¿Quién era Josep Comas i Solà?”, web del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona.

(7) To be precise, Spain is about to experience a great season of solar eclipses. There will be five in the next six years: two total, two partial, and one annular. However, the most spectacular will be on August 12, 2026. For more details on the specific case of Barcelona, see the following link: the eclipse in Barcelona.