Total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027 reaches 6 minutes 23 seconds By Luís Pereira
3 min read
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The Moon will hide the Sun for up to 6 minutes and 23 seconds on August 2, 2027, the longest total solar eclipse visible from land this century. The shadow begins over the Atlantic Ocean and crosses southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Some observers have already called it the “eclipse of the century.”
The eclipse of 2024 seen across Mexico, the United States and Canada reached about 4 minutes and 28 seconds of totality. The 2027 event lasts almost two minutes longer than that. Its magnitude of 1.079 means the Moon covers the whole disk of the Sun, not just part of it.
The greatest eclipse happens at 10:07:50 UTC, when the shadow reaches its maximum over Egypt. The phenomenon lasts several hours from start to finish, with partial phases before and after the total phase.
The route of the Moon’s shadow from the Atlantic to Egypt
The band of totality enters at the Strait of Gibraltar, passes over southern Spain and then runs east across North Africa. From there it follows the Nile valley and crosses the Red Sea toward Saudi Arabia. The path is about 258 kilometers wide.
Along the way, the shadow passes through several countries that will see the total phase.
- Spain
- Morocco
- Algeria
- Tunisia
- Libya
- Egypt
- Sudan
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
- Somalia
Cities and countries inside the band of totality
Cities such as Cádiz and Málaga, in Spain, and Tangier, in Morocco, lie near the totality band, with the Sun low in the sky at the start. Observers in urban areas can reach the band by road or rail. People outside the band will see only a partial eclipse across most of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and western Asia.
Learn more: Total solar eclipse in August 2027 brings six minutes of complete darkness across ten countries
Six minutes of darkness, the corona and bright stars over Luxor
During totality, the solar corona becomes visible around the dark disk of the Moon. Bright stars and planets can also appear in the daytime sky.
Near Luxor, the total phase lasts about 6 minutes and 21 seconds at Luxor Temple, while the point of greatest duration in the desert reaches 6 minutes and 23 seconds. Luxor is the place where the eclipse reaches its maximum length.
Totality will be longer than the 2 minutes and 18 seconds of the total eclipse of August 12, 2026. Only the eclipse of July 22, 2009, was longer, at 6 minutes and 39 seconds, but its maximum fell over the Pacific Ocean. A longer eclipse on land will not occur until 2114.
Eye protection and timing for observers
The Sun stays visible during the partial phases, so observers need eye protection. Solar filters protect the eyes during the partial phases before and after totality. Only the total phase allows viewing without filters.
See also: Total solar eclipse on August 2 2027 crosses ten countries with record six minutes of darkness
The eclipse happens in the morning and early afternoon across the path, depending on the location. The Sun is high enough over Egypt to make observation easier.
Why the magnitude of 1.079 matters for the total phase
A magnitude above 1 confirms that the Moon completely covers the solar disk. The 2027 value is the figure that defines the total phase in the path.
The next total solar eclipse after August 2, 2027, will occur on July 22, 2028, when totality crosses Australia and New Zealand.
