Longest Solar Eclipse of the Century to Plunge Day Into Darkness

On 2 August 2027, a total solar eclipse will carve a sweeping path from the Atlantic, across the Strait of Gibraltar, through North Africa and into parts of the Middle East. For a lucky slice of that track, totality will stretch to an astonishing 6 minutes and 23 seconds — the longest such darkness of this cent

Crowds are expected from southern Spain to the Nile Valley, because the path touches densely populated areas with good transport links. The Americas, including Brazil, will sit out this show entirely, seeing no partial phase.

Totality will first meet land near the Strait of Gibraltar, then cut across Morocco and surge east through Algeria, Tunisia and Libya before reaching Egypt. After crossing the Nile heartland, the shadow sweeps onward into parts of the Middle East.

Observers outside the narrow totality band will experience a partial eclipse. That still dims the Sun, but it never reveals the solar corona and never brings the full onrush of twilight.

Local schedules vary along the track, but the flow is the same everywhere. The partial phase begins first, the Moon nibbling into the Sun’s disk. About an hour later, the sky drops into an eerie twilight as totality starts. After the maximum darkness — up to 6 minutes 23 seconds on the centerline — daylight returns and the partial phase winds down for roughly another hour.

• Partial phase begins: roughly 60–80 minutes before totality at your location
• Totality: from a few seconds up to 6 minutes 23 seconds on the centerline
• Final partial phase: another 60–80 minutes as the Sun re-emerges

• As the crescent Sun thins, the light turns metallic and shadows sharpen. Temperatures can drop several degrees. Winds shift. Birds roost. In the final seconds before totality, beads of light flicker along the Moon’s edge, followed by a brief “diamond ring” sparkle.
• Never look at the Sun without proper eye protection during any partial phase. Use eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312‑2 international safety standard, or fit certified solar filters to binoculars, cameras and telescopes. Regular sunglasses do not protect your eyes.
• Only remove eclipse glasses during the brief window of totality, and put them back on as soon as the first bright bead returns
• Practice with your camera and solar filter days in advance
• Use a pinhole projector or solar viewer for simple, safe observation
• Supervise children closely and set clear rules before first contact

• Demand will surge in the path of totality, especially around southern Spain and along Egypt’s Nile corridor, where long stretches of totality coincide with robust infrastructure. Book early, plan alternate routes, and keep your gear minimal and mobile.

  Countries on the centerline

  • Spain (southern regions near the Strait of Gibraltar)
  • Morocco
  • Algeria
  • Tunisia
  • Libya
  • Egypt
  • Then onward into parts of the Middle East

  August heat in North Africa can be intense. Bring water, shade and a plan for traffic before and after totality. If you aim for remote desert locations, double‑check fuel, comms and local regulations. Urban rooftops and public parks along the path will draw large but manageable crowds.

  Item	Detail
  Date	2 August 2027
  Max totality	6 min 23 sec (near Egypt)
  Path	Atlantic → Strait of Gibraltar → North Africa → parts of the Middle East
  Best major viewing regions	Southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt
  Visible in the Americas?	No

  Why it happens

  A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and Sun, casting a compact, racing shadow across our planet. The tight match between the Sun’s vast size and its distance and the Moon’s smaller size but closer distance allows the Moon to cover the Sun almost perfectly from our perspective.

  Partial versus total: how often?

  Somewhere on Earth, partial eclipses happen at least twice a year. Total eclipses happen roughly every 18 months worldwide, but any single city may wait centuries between visits from the Moon’s inner shadow. That rarity drives the pilgrimage.