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Forbes
a day ago
- Science
- Forbes
How To See The Epic 6-Minute Total Solar Eclipse In 2027
Libyan youths watch the solar eclipse in the desert tourist camp in Galo, 1300 km south of the ... More Libyan capital of Tripoli, 29 March 2006. Thousands of astronomers and thrill-seekers gazed heavenward, prayers were said by the faithful and schools shut for the day as the three-hour celestial ballet raced across half the world. AFP PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images) There's a 6-minute total solar eclipse in 2027 — one of the longest and most significant eclipses of the 21st century. It will take place on Monday, Aug. 2, 2027, in 10 countries, but aside from a small partial solar eclipse in Newfoundland, Canada, it won't be visible from North America. Whether the length of totality is critical is arguable, but there's no doubt that the 2027 total solar eclipse will be an epic experience. Here's everything you need to know about the 2027 total solar eclipse — the 'Great North African Eclipse,' dubbed the 'eclipse of the century.' 6-Minute Total Solar Eclipse in 2027: Where Will It Be Visible? A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, fully covering the sun's disk for observers within a narrow path of totality. On Aug. 2, 2027, that path will be around 160 miles (258 kilometers) wide and pass through three continents: After a totally eclipsed sunrise in the ocean, the moon's central shadow will first touch land in the aptly-named Costa de la Luz (Coast of the Light) in Spain's Andalusia region and also envelop the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. As the path touches southern Spain, it also hits Morocco, followed by Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It's in the latter that it reaches its longest duration at 6 minutes 22 seconds. The edge of the path also clips the northeastern corner of Sudan. After it leaves Egypt, the path crosses the Red Sea and enters Saudi Arabia, then Yemen. The path clips the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, then ends as a totally eclipsed sunset close to the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. According to Timeanddate, the path crosses 89 million people — about twice as many as crossed by the total solar eclipse on Apr. 8, 2024, in North America. 6-Minute Total Solar Eclipse in 2027: How To Choose Where To Watch It Choosing where to experience the 2027 total solar eclipse will be down to what you want to experience and where you want to visit. However, it's a relatively rare eclipse in that the chances of clouds are small over most of the path. Luxor, Egypt, is where many eclipse chasers will head for its longest totality and the chance to visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, Karnak, the Colossi of Menmom and Luxor Temple. However, Tunisia (specifically, the city of Sfax) is likely significantly cooler and still had 5 5-minute 42-second totality. Even Egypt has a few other options, such as Siwa Oasis (southwest of Cairo) and the Red Sea (though the path misses Hurghada). Southern Spain is another good option, albeit with a shorter totality. View of the Karnak temple in the evening - Luxor, Egypt 6-Minute Total Solar Eclipse in 2027: 10 Places To Watch It The best places to experience the 2027 total solar eclipse are subjective, but here are some sample locations: 6-Minute Total Solar Eclipse in 2027: Why Is It So Long? The longest total solar eclipses take place when the moon is closest to Earth on its elliptical orbit, and when the its shadow strikes close to the equator (which is closer to the moon). Technically, a total solar eclipse could last 7 minutes 31 seconds, according to Jean Meeus, but the longest total solar eclipse known to have occurred was 7 minutes, 28 seconds on June 15, 743 BC, in the Indian Ocean. The longest until the year 3,000 will occur in the Atlantic Ocean on July 16, 2186, and last 7 minutes, 29 seconds. Northwest Fjord in the far reaches of Scoresbysund in eastern Greenland. When Is The Next Eclipse? It may be the longest of the century on land, but the 2027 eclipse is the middle child in three spectacular total solar eclipses coming up in succession. Since eclipse-mania is in full swing since 2024, eclipse chasers should start planning now. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Solar eclipse 2026: A traveller's guide to the best places to be when the light goes out
On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the surface of the earth. At sunrise it will be visible in the far north of Siberia in Russia. The 'path of totality' will then cross Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain (plus a tiny corner of Portugal). Only a tiny proportion of humanity has ever witnessed a total eclipse – but the Spanish crossing, at the height of the tourist season, will provide an astronomical experience for millions in many alluring locations. Here's everything you need to know about why you witness this phenomenon – and where to be to make the most of the experience. What happens during a total solar eclipse? The greatest show on earth comes courtesy of the lifeless moon. Normally the orbiting lunar lump merely provides earth with tides, moonlight and somewhere to aim space rockets. But roughly once a year the natural satellite aligns with the sun and, thanks to a geometric miracle, blots out the hub of the solar system to create a total eclipse. 'Even though the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, it's also about 400 times closer to earth than the sun is,' says Nasa. 'This means that from earth, the moon and the sun appear to be roughly the same size in the sky.' A narrow band marking the 'path of totality' carves an arc of darkness across the surface of our planet. If you are somewhere on that line at the predicted time, and you have clear skies, then the experience will become a lifelong memory. The closer you are to the centre of the path of totality, the longer the total eclipse will last. The longest totality in 2026 will be in the far north of Iceland. What's so good about seeing an eclipse? In the days leading up to the eclipse, locations in the path of totality acquire something of a carnival atmosphere as astronomical tourists converge in excited anticipation. On the day, the cosmological performance begins with a warm-up lasting more than an hour, during which the moon steadily nibbles away at the surface of the sun. Suddenly, you experience totality. The stars and planets appear in the middle of the day. The air chills. To testify to the heavenly fit between our two most familiar heavenly bodies, faint diamonds known as Baily's beads peek out from behind the moon. They actually comprise light from the sun slipping through lunar valleys. A sight to behold – so long as you can see the moon blotting out the sun and appreciate the mathematical perfection of nature in our corner of the galaxy. Eclipses are entirely predictable: we know the stripes that the next few dozen will paint upon the surface of the Earth. But the weather is not. Cloud cover, which blighted the Cornwall eclipse in 1999, downgrades a cosmological marvel to an eerie daytime gloom. Almost as predictable as the eclipse is that traffic aiming towards the path of totality in Spain will be heavy on the morning of 12 August 2026 – and that accommodation rates will soar to astronomical levels. Where will the great European eclipse 2026 be visible in Spain? The stripe of darkness will traverse the great cities of Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia in mainland Spain before arriving in Palma de Mallorca. Where should I be for the best experience? The weather prospects for the Mediterranean locations are better than for Atlantic Spain, but the area around Zaragoza is likely to be best of all. There are no guarantees of clear skies: all you can do is play the odds based on the record of cloud cover for the corresponding date in previous years. In 2024, during the great North American eclipse, all the predictions went out of the celestial window: Montreal in Canada, which had been regarded as a low-likelihood location because of usually cloudy skies in April, suddenly became the star of the show. Any alternative to being on land? Yes, a number of cruise lines will ensure their vessels are on the path of totality during the eclipse – predominantly between mainland Spain and Mallorca. They will have a certain amount of flexibility to move according to the weather forecasts. Do I need special eclipse goggles? Yes. The US National Solar Observatory says: 'During totality, you may view the sun without proper eye protection, such as solar glasses. But during all other phases of the eclipse, you should only look at the sun when your eyes are protected.' Eclipse viewing glasses will be widely available at the key locations on the line of totality I'll be in Spain (or Portugal) anyway – will I see a partial eclipse without needing to move? Viewers in much of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as France, will, if skies are clear, witness a partial eclipse. But there is nothing to compare with a total eclipse. The astronomer Dr John Mason, who has guided dozens of eclipse trips (and will be doing so again in 2026), sums up the difference between a 99 per cent partial eclipse and a total eclipse as far apart as 'a peck on the cheek and a night of passion'. You must use special eclipse safety glasses or viewers when viewing a partial eclipse – organise these in advance. When are the next total solar eclipses? The following summer (2 August 2027), the southern tip of mainland Spain is in the path of totality for an eclipse that will sweep across North Africa and the Arabian peninsula: going east from the Strait of Gibraltar, it will encompass Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, the northeasternmost corner of Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Just under 12 months later, on 22 July 2028, Outback Australia will be the place to be. A total eclipse will make landfall in northern Western Australia, sweep across the Northern Territory and part of southwest Queensland – then clean across New South Wales, with Sydney in the middle of the path of totality. Winter cloud cover could disrupt the experience in Australia's largest city – and is very likely in the southern portion of New Zealand's South Island where the eclipse reaches a finale. Australia also features in the cosmological plans on 25 November 2030. This is early summer in the southern hemisphere, and there are likely to be good conditions for viewing in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa (Durban is on the path of totality) as well as South Australia.
Forbes
7 days ago
- Forbes
To See The Next Total Solar Eclipse, Book Now — Here's Why
Chilean man in traditional hat watching total solar eclipse, Vicuña Chile The last total solar eclipse was 456 days ago in North America, and the next one is in 400 days in Europe. On Aug. 12, 2026, a short totality will darken the day as seen from eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. There are fabulous travel experiences to be had, from the fjords of Scoresby Sun and a festival on Iceland's Snæfellsnes Peninsula to the plains of Spain and a sunset eclipse from the Balearic Islands. However, Why This Eclipse Will Be So Busy The total solar eclipse in 2026 will be the first in mainland Europe since 1999 when totality flashed across the globe from the U.K. to India via Eastern Europe and the Middle East. According to approximately 71 million people viewed it. Most Europeans have not seen a total solar eclipse in so long that they will travel — mainly to Spain, but also to Iceland. Here's why there will be so much demand for this eclipse: A map of the path of totality on Aug. 12, 2026. Why You Should Book Your Eclipse Trip Very Soon If the above reasons are driving demand, there's another very specific reason why you should try to book your travel arrangements as soon as possible. On August 12 this year, a number of articles will be published and a lot of fuss will be made about the one-year countdown to mainland Europe's first eclipse in a generation. Demand will spike for plane tickets, hotels and organized tours. If you can secure a spot before the one-year countdown, you may have a chance to book travel and accommodation. So book now — or risk missing one of nature's grandest spectacles. Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Spain On Aug. 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will cross northern Spain, with key cities including León, Palencia and Burgos, where clear skies are likely. It's crucial to note that in Spain, the eclipse occurs just before sunset, which means a dramatic experience — but also an uncertain one. Sightlines must be checked out in advance using this new map from the Instituto Geográfico Nacional. Coastal regions may experience more variable weather, but August typically brings warm, dry conditions that are ideal for eclipse viewing. Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Iceland Reykjavík will lie within the path of totality for a rare total solar eclipse. Totality in the capital is expected to last approximately 1 minute. The moon's umbral shadow will move across the western part of Iceland, with Reykjavík, the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and Westfjördurprime views. Weather-wise, Iceland tends to have a lower chance of clear skies in August than Spain; however, a sunny day is still entirely possible. Eclipse chasers should read Iceland's excellent weather forecasts and have a vehicle to travel to this late-afternoon eclipse, Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Greenland A rare Arctic eclipse experience is available in Greenland, where a cluster of approximately a dozen cruise ships will gather on August 12, 2026. The favored location is Scorsby Sund, where there's a good chance of a clear sky, thanks to Greenland's topography. Disclaimer: I am the author of the Complete Guide to the Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Greenland, Iceland and Spain and editor of Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Travel Weekly
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel Weekly
Missed the last eclipse? Cruise lines offer a remedy in 2026
Teri West Do you remember where you were on April 8, 2024? It was a day where hundreds of thousands of people congregated in states like Vermont and Ohio to experience an event that lasted only about four minutes: a total solar eclipse. If you weren't one of those who traveled for it and didn't happen to live anywhere along its path of totality, that may have been the day that you swore you'd travel to catch the next one. Cruise lines, too, made a promise to themselves that they would be there. And "there" is coming sooner than you think. A total solar eclipse will be visible next August in Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Russia. Seabourn Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages will be offering their first eclipse sailings next year, with plans to position ships within the path of totality that traverses the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. Cruises filling up fast Eclipse sailings are doing incredibly well. Seabourn is offering two sailings, and both are pretty much sold out, said chief marketing officer Mike Fulkerson. One is a two-week voyage along Western Ireland and ending in Iceland, and the other will sail the Mediterranean roundtrip from Barcelona. Princess Cruises recently added a third sailing to its lineup. Eclipse cruises' popularity caught Atlas Ocean Voyages off guard when it launched sales for its 2024 sailing, but now the company knows just how much people want to be on a cruise during the event, CEO James Rodriguez told me. "If I could make more eclipses throughout the year, I would," he said. Cruises enable eclipse enthusiasts to develop a communal sense of excitement during the build-up toward the brief event and offer more dexterity than on land, he said. If one location in the path of totality has cloud cover, for example, the ships can navigate to a more favorable location as the event approaches. And since the cruises last more than just that day, the entire ship finds a sense of community as anticipation builds toward that moment, Rodriguez said. "It's kind of hard to replicate on a land vacation versus a cruise vacation because you're all there onboard [and] experience this together," Rodriguez said. "You talk about it before, you talk about it when it's happening and then you also talk about it after the cruise, and you create friends. And so for us, it's the closest expedition experience, that communal experience, that you have outside the polar regions." He's found there to be a contingency of eclipse chasers who seek out cruises on those specific dates. The company sold out half of its 2024 sailings in half a day. One of its 2026 sailings will travel through Iceland and Greenland, and the other will be in the Mediterranean. Seabourn published a graphic of an eclipse before launching sales for its 2026 voyages and saw a rush of inquiries, said Fulkerson. "Our travel agents and our internal sales team were just getting bombarded with, 'When is it going to be available?'" he recalled. "'Can I get on a wait list?'" During the early sales launch period, the company saw a 400% increase in bookings compared to similar timeframes for noneclipse cruises, he said. Preparing for 2027 The sweet spot for launching eclipse sailings is slightly more than two years out, Rodriguez told me, which is why you're starting to see sailing become available for 2027's eclipse. The path of totality in 2027 spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean with land coverage in parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Holland America launched sales for two 2027 eclipse cruises last week. "The excitement around viewing a total solar eclipse the past few years has been palpable," Paul Grigsby, the line's vice president of deployment, said in a statement. "We jumped at the chance to create more itineraries."
