The World Braces for Eclipse of the Century
The World Braces for Eclipse of the Century
Across continents, scientists, travellers and casual sky-watchers are quietly circling a single summer date on their calendars.
On 2 August 2027, a rare alignment of Sun, Moon and Earth will turn daytime into a brief, unsettling twilight along a narrow track from the Atlantic to the Middle East, while millions more will watch a deep partial eclipse from Europe and North Africa.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun and blocks its disk completely for observers standing in a specific corridor, the “path of totality”. Outside that path, people see a partial bite taken out of the Sun, impressive but very different from full darkness.
The 2 August 2027 event belongs to this rare category. Astronomers describe it as one of the standout eclipses of the 21st century, both for its length and for the regions it will cross.
The shadow will first touch the Earth in the Atlantic Ocean before sweeping east across southern Europe, North Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
In Europe, the path of totality will just graze the southern tip of Spain. A narrow strip from near Seville to the Strait of Gibraltar will see the day turn to night for several minutes, while most of the continent, from Portugal to central Europe and much of Italy, will experience a pronounced partial eclipse.
