The best time and place to see a total solar eclipse has been revealed—and it’s the one-after-next.
The best weather for 2024 total solar eclipse is currently a hot topic, but it’s going to get a lot hotter in advance of August 2, 2027, when the world will witness one of the most remarkable astronomical events of the entire century—the “Great North African Eclipse.”
This is the one to aim for if you miss out on totality because of clouds on April 8.
Visible from the tip of Southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East, it’s a total solar eclipse not to miss for three incredible reasons:
- It will be the longest total solar eclipse of the century, with a totality duration of 6 minutes and 23 seconds.
- There’s a near-zero chance of clouds in North Africa. A clear view of the eclipsed sun is almost guaranteed.
- Inside the path of totality is Luxor, ancient Egypt’s capital of Thebes, home to the Valley of the Kings and Queens, Karnak, and several other temples. What’s more, Luxor is where totality will last the longest.
Zero Chance Of Clouds
“It’s the first time I’ve seen the cloud cover graphs reach zero,” said Jay Anderson, a Canadian meteorologist and avid eclipse chaser who, for over forty years, has published studies of the climate along eclipse tracks on Eclipsophile, in an interview. “There is almost no chance of cloud in eastern Libya and western Egypt—get to Luxor, and the frequency is 0.7%,” said Anderson. “At the very worst, you’ll get a little bit of cirrus cloud from some jet stream that’s wandering through.”
That’s great news for international eclipse chasers, but there are other environmental factors to worry about for this eclipse. “There is a high probability of dusty skies and high temperatures—you can almost guarantee that it will be about 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit),” said Anderson.
Welcome Relief
If that’s going to make this an eclipse that’s hard to bear in some ways, the moon’s shadow will be some welcome relief. “Being such a dry environment, the only blessing is that the temperature will probably drop like a stone when the eclipse begins,” said Anderson. “Most tour companies will put up their guests in air-conditioned hotels because you won’t have to move for this one—you’re guaranteed the eclipse.”
Here are seven potential viewing locations for 2027’s total solar eclipse—the longest totality of your lifetime and the perfect excuse to go see the world:
1. Luxor, Egypt
The city on the banks of the Nile is the best place to witness the longest duration of totality— a whopping 6 minutes and 22 seconds. Karnak, the second most visited historical site in Egypt after Cairos’ pyramids, will host thousands of visitors.
2. Tangier, Morocco
The bustling Moroccan city—Europe’s gateway to Africa and former ‘international city’—will be an excellent spot to view the eclipse from, with totality lasting 4 minutes and 48 seconds.
3. Kerkennah Islands, Tunisia
This island off Sfax in Tunisia hosts Borj el Hissar, the ancient ruins of a Roman fort rebuilt by the Spanish in the 16th century. Totality will last 5 minutes and 42 seconds.
4. Tozeur, Tunisia
At 1 minute and 39 seconds, it’s a short totality, but this could be a special location close to the southern edge of the path of totality. It’s the site of the set for the original Star Wars movie.
5. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
This port city in Saudi Arabia, known for its beautiful beaches and historical landmarks, will see totality lasting 5 minutes and 54 seconds.
6. Cadiz, Spain
A short totality – just 2 minutes and 47 seconds – will be seen in Cadiz, which sits on a peninsula and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe.
7. Oran, Algeria
A totality lasting 5 minutes and 6 seconds will come to this coastal city in the northwest of Algeria, which can be reached by ferry from Spain.
This “Great North African Eclipse” path of totality will be 160 miles/258 kilometers wide and cross 88.9 million people, according to Timeanddate, over twice that of April’s event in North America. The 11 countries crossed by the path will include Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia and the British Indian Ocean Territory.
For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse in North America, check my main feed for new articles each day.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.