He August 2, 2027the world will witness the solar eclipse Longest total of the 21st century visible from landaccording to data from the POT Goddard Space Flight Center and the specialized portal Time and Date.

At its peak, the eclipse will last 6 minutes and 23 secondssurpassing any other similar phenomenon of the century in terrestrial observation.

This type of eclipse occurs when the Moon comes completely between the Earth and the Suncasting its shadow over a strip of the planet called “band of totality”.

During those minutes, day turns into night and it is possible to observe the solar crownthe outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.

Why the 2027 eclipse will be unique

Although the 2009 eclipse lasted a few seconds longer, its longest phase occurred over the Pacific Ocean, far from inhabited areas.

Instead, the 2027 one will cross accessible regions of North Africa and the Middle East, where dry, clear weather will allow exceptional visibility.

The point of longest duration will be near Luxor, Egyptwhere the Sun will be completely covered during 6 minutes and 23 secondsaccording to the visibility maps of the NASA Eclipse Catalog.

This event represents a great opportunity for the scientific communitysince it will allow studying the solar corona structure and the effects of the eclipse on the earth atmosphere.

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Where can the total eclipse be observed?

The totality bandof some 250 kilometers widewill travel a route that will begin in the Atlantic Oceanwill pass through the Strait of Gibraltarwill cross the north africa and the arabian peninsulauntil concluding in the indian ocean.

The countries from where the total eclipse can be seen are:

• Spain (especially in Cádiz and Málaga)
• Morocco
• Algeria
• Tunisia
• Libya
• Egypt (Luxor and Aswan will be the main points)
• Sudan
• Saudi Arabia
• Yemen
• Somalia

According to Space.comthe most favorable weather conditions will be in North Africa, with clear skies and low cloud cover at that time of year.

Phases and times of the 2027 solar eclipse

• Beginning of the partial eclipse: around the 8:00 UTC (10:00 local time in Egypt).
• Start of the total phase: shortly after 9:00 UTCdepending on location.
• Total duration of the phenomenon: more than three hoursincluding the partial and total phases.

During the minutes of total darkness, the brightest stars and planets will be visibleand the temperature could drop between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius in the zone of totality.

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How to observe the eclipse safely

The POT and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) they warn that You should not observe the Sun directly without protectioneven during a partial eclipse. It is recommended to use glasses with ISO 12312-2 certified filters or use indirect methods, such as solar image projection.

Only during total phasewhen the Sun is completely covered, it can be observed with the naked eye for a few seconds.

Astronomical tourism and preparations

The eclipse will attract thousands of visitors to countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

authorities of Egypt and Saudi Arabia they are already preparing tourist and logistical plans to receive observers from all over the world, as reported Space.com on August 5, 2024.

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Scientific importance of the eclipse

Total eclipses are a unique opportunity to investigate the solar coronaa region that is normally invisible due to the intensity of sunlight.

The event will allow measurements from Earth to be compared with data from the Parker Solar Probewhich studies the Sun’s environment from space.

He NASA Goddard Space Flight Center He pointed out that the eclipse of 2027 will be key to advancing the study of the solar wind, magnetic field and coronal mass ejections.