The Total Solar Eclipse of 2 August 2027: Where and When to See It
On 2 August 2027 the Moon will cover the Sun completely along a narrow path from the Atlantic Ocean across the Strait of Gibraltar, North Africa and the Middle East. Near Luxor in Egypt the total eclipse will last more than 6 minutes, one of the longest total eclipses of the 21st century and the longest visible on land until 2114.
Where can you see totality?
Totality is only seen inside a path roughly 250 km wide. In 2027 it runs across:
- Southern Spain and Gibraltar: the far south of Andalusia, around Cádiz, Tarifa and Málaga, sees a few minutes of totality in the morning.
- North Africa: northern Morocco around Tangier, then Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
- Egypt: the longest totality, over 6 minutes, near Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.
- Arabia and the Horn of Africa: western Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia, before the shadow leaves Earth over the Indian Ocean.
Outside the path, a partial eclipse is seen over most of Europe, Africa and the Middle East: the Moon covers part of the Sun, but the sky does not go dark.
When does it happen?
The greatest eclipse is at about 10:07 UTC. In Spain totality comes in the late morning local time; in Egypt around midday, when the Sun is high and the August weather is usually clear, which makes Luxor and Aswan two of the best places to watch. The Sky calendar lists the eclipse with its time in your own time zone.
Why this eclipse is so long
A total eclipse lasts longest when the Moon is near its closest point to Earth, so it looks large, and Earth is near its farthest point from the Sun, so the Sun looks small, and when the shadow falls near the equator, where Earth's spin carries the ground along with the shadow. In August 2027 all three line up.
How to watch safely
Never look at the Sun directly or through binoculars or a camera without a proper solar filter. Use eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard during all the partial phases. Only during the minutes of totality, when the Sun is completely covered, is it safe to look with the naked eye; put the glasses back on as soon as the first bright point of sunlight returns.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next total solar eclipse? On 12 August 2026 over Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain, then on 2 August 2027 over southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East.
Where is the best place to see the 2027 eclipse? Near Luxor in Egypt, with over 6 minutes of totality and usually clear August skies. Southern Spain and northern Morocco see shorter totality but are easier to reach from Europe.
How long will the 2027 eclipse last? Up to about 6 minutes 23 seconds at the point of greatest duration near Luxor; a few minutes in southern Spain.
Will the 2027 eclipse be visible in Spain? Yes. The path of totality crosses the far south of Andalusia, around Cádiz and Málaga; the rest of Spain sees a deep partial eclipse.
Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse? Only with certified eclipse glasses during the partial phases. During totality itself, when the Sun is completely covered, you can look with the naked eye.
Explore it yourself: Sky calendar · Now & Here · What can I see in the night sky tonight?
Sources
- NASA Goddard, Eclipse Web Site (F. Espenak): solar eclipse paths, times and durations. eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov
- American Astronomical Society, Eclipse safety: ISO 12312-2 solar viewers. eclipse.aas.org
Times are for greatest eclipse in Universal Time; the Sky calendar computes the eclipse from the positions of the Sun and Moon and shows it in your device's time zone.