The world is full of news about different heavenly happenings but the real “Eclipse of the Century” is the Total Solar Eclipse of August 2, 2027. The unique characteristic of this phenomenon is the incredible duration of totality – 6 minutes and 23 seconds of darkness. This is the longest apparent duration of eclipse seen on the land since more than a century ago, and this will not be overtaken in nearly a century, which will be in 2114. This long life is due to an unusual astronomical coincidence: the Moon will be at its nearest point to the Earth (perigee) and therefore it will one day appear enormous, and the Earth will be at its farthest point to the Sun (aphelion) and therefore the solar disk will be a little smaller.
The Way of totality: a Continental Crossing
The shadow of the Moon will cut a path of about 258km and begin at the North Atlantic Ocean and land at Southern Spain and Gibraltar. It will then extend to North Africa and Middle East, and will spread parts of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. This route runs into Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia and eventually becomes lost in Indian ocean. Since the line is close to the equator, the shadow of the Moon travels slower, compared to the Earth surface, and essentially stretches the time that the people on the ground use in complete darkness.
Luxor: The Black hole of Eternal Darkness
Luxor, Egypt has the unquestioned best venue to view this event. In the city of Luxor, which is positioned almost at the point of greatest eclipse, the city will be able to see the totality of 6 minutes and 23 seconds. In addition to the period, Egypt provides a close to 100 per cent of clear, cloudless skies in August that is the safest bet among the chasers of the eclipse. The sky above the Valley of the Kings and the Karnak Temple is likely to change to night, and it is likely to be one of the most photographed and visited astronomical phenomenon events in the history of humankind.
Best Watching Areas in Europe and Africa
Although Luxor has the longest period of time, some other cities present spectacular viewing opportunities with even a very long dark time. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will experience a duration of more than five minutes of totality and so will the Kerkennah Islands in Tunisia. The southernmost point of the European region in terms of latitude will be Spain: Cádiz and Tarifa which will provide almost five minutes of darkness. The bookings into these destinations are already increasing, as tourists worldwide are ready to view the corona of the sun in what is being billed by some as a once-in-a-life sightseeing event.
Getting ready to the Golden Age of Eclipses
The 2027 event will in fact be the highlight of a golden age of eclipse chasers. It is followed by the total eclipse of August 12, 2026 (that will pass over Iceland and Northern Spain) and preceded by another total eclipse in July of the year 2028 over Australia. But, both of them are simply too short in comparison with the duration of the 2027 spectacle. In order to watch any of them, you have to wear ISO-certified solar filters or eclipse glasses up until the time of one-hundred per cent totality. The year 2027 will be a hallmark of a generation of stargazers given the historical value attached to it and the fact that it is going to mark minutes of darkness.
Best 6+ Minutes of Totality Destinations
| Location | Totality Duration | Visibility Probability |
| Luxor, Egypt | 6 min 23 sec | Extremely High (Clear Skies) |
| Sohag, Egypt | 6 min 20 sec | Extremely High (Clear Skies) |
| Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 5 min 50 sec | High |
| Kerkennah, Tunisia | 5 min 42 sec | Medium-High |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the exact date of the Eclipse of the Century?
The solar eclipse will be on Monday the 2nd August, 2027.
2. What is the meaning of the name, the Eclipse of the Century?
It is the longest total solar eclipse on the land since 21st century. Although a longer one took place in 2009, much of its totality extreme took place on the open ocean.
3. Will it be apparent in the United States or in India?
Both will not have a complete eclipse. The U.S. will not experience the event at all and western India will experience very slight partial eclipse towards the time of sunset.
Disclaimer
The information will be informational in nature. The official sources such as Eclipse Web Site of NASA or TimeandDate.com can be used to determine the exact locality timings; we would like to make all users aware of the facts.
