2027 total solar eclipse: the longest of the century

Picture an ordinary summer day when, without warning, the sky becomes completely dark for several minutes, stars emerge in mid-afternoon and the temperature drops within seconds. This will become reality in 2027, when the century’s longest total solar eclipse passes across the planet.

A rare alignment of the Moon and Earth

Scheduled for 2 August 2027, the 2027 total solar eclipse will bring as much as 6 minutes and 23 seconds of complete darkness to a narrow strip of the world. It will be the longest period of totality recorded over land this century.

This is due to the position of the Moon during the event: it will be close to perigee, the point in its orbit at which it is nearest to Earth. That makes the lunar disc appear larger in the sky, extending the shadow cast across Earth’s surface.

• Record duration: totality of up to 6 minutes and 23 seconds, the century’s longest.
• Set date: the event takes place on 2 August 2027.
• Shadow path: it will cross the Atlantic, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
• ⏳ Next opportunity: a comparable eclipse is not expected again until 2114.
• Decisive factor: the Moon will be near perigee, its closest point to Earth.

It could unfold right before your eyes

In the minutes leading up to totality, daylight gradually fades, shadows become sharper and the temperature falls by several degrees. Animals governed by daytime rhythms begin behaving as though evening has arrived.

For many people within the path of totality, it will be their only opportunity in a lifetime to witness such an event. Since the next solar eclipse of this length is not forecast until 2114, today’s generation will be the only one to see this phenomenon.

The brief minutes when the solar corona is visible to the naked eye

Seconds before complete darkness, Baily’s Beads appear: points of light escaping through valleys on the Moon’s surface. They are followed by the Diamond Ring, when one final bright point lingers for a moment.

The solar corona appears briefly

What becomes visible during the minutes of total darkness

Once the solar disc is fully obscured, the solar corona - the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere - can be seen with the naked eye, creating a pale halo around the Moon.

At the same time, bright planets and the most luminous stars become visible in the sky, a sight normally reserved for night-time.

As totality ends, the sequence unfolds in reverse: the Diamond Ring and Baily’s Beads return before daylight resumes within a few minutes.

Essential precautions before looking at the sky

Looking directly at the Sun without protection is safe only during complete totality. At every other stage, including the partial phases, certified eclipse glasses meeting ISO 12312-2 are essential.

Ordinary sunglasses, photographic film and X-ray films do not protect your eyes, so they must not be used as alternatives. When photographing the partial phases, the camera lens also requires a suitable solar filter.

Spain and Egypt are already competing for accommodation in 2027

Astronomer Fred Espenak, a global authority on eclipse predictions, has already compiled maps and climate analyses for hundreds of towns and cities along the path of totality. Demand for hotels in Spain’s Basque Country and Egypt, two of the most recommended observation locations, is already rising more than a year in advance.

For many people, the 2027 total solar eclipse is set to be the only chance to see the solar corona with the naked eye and experience daylight turning into night in August. The sky is not expected to repeat the spectacle with the same intensity until 2114.

If this phenomenon has made you curious, share it with someone else who loves these mysteries of the sky that occur only once in a generation.