How and where to see the longest solar eclipse of the whole century

In 2027 there will be a solar eclipse that is emerging as the most important astronomical phenomenon of the 21st century, which will be visible from the eastern hemisphere. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed –In its official portal– That will happen on Monday, August 2.

Although much of Europe, Africa and the south of Asia You can observe the eclipse partially, the totality phase – when the Moon completely cover the Sun– It will only be visible from the narrow strip that runs through the threshold shadow when crossing ten countries: Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia, according to the Eclipse Wise site.

According to the astronomical dissemination site called Space, it was called as the “eclipse of the century” due to its exceptional duration. That day, the moon will completely cover in the sun for up to six minutes and 22 seconds, which represents the most extensive period of totality on the mainland throughout the 21st century.

To put it in perspective, the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, which crossed Mexico, the United States and Canada, offered a maximum duration of four minutes and 28 seconds, considered unusually long. However, the 2027 eclipse is expected to exceed that time and provide a unique opportunity for astronomical observation and study.

However, the trajectory of totality of the solar eclipse of 2027 – where the sky darkens in a phenomenon that looks more like a 360 degree twilight than a full night – will be wider than usual because the moon will be at its point closest to the earth (perigee).

On August 2, 2027, this trajectory will have approximately 160 miles wide and will extend along 9,450 miles on the earth’s surface. In total, it will cover about 965,000 square miles, a considerable surfacebut that represents just a small fraction of the 197 million square miles that make up the total area of the planet.

As NASA explained, an eclipse is a celestial phenomenon that causes admiration and drastically changes the appearance of the two biggest objects we see in the sky: the sun and the moon. On earth, it is possible to observe a solar eclipse when the earth, the moon and the sun align. Depending on how they align, they offer a unique and exciting view of the sun or the moon.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, and projects a shadow on the earth that totally or partially blocks sunlight in some areas. This only occurs occasionally, because the moon does not orbit on the same exact plane as the sun and the earth. The moment they are aligned is known as eclipses season, which happens twice a year.