Six minutes and twenty-three seconds. The longest total solar eclipse visible from land between 1991 and 2114, crossing Spain, North Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.
| City / region | Totality begins (local) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cádiz, Spain | 11:34 CEST | 2 min 08 s |
| Málaga, Spain | 11:37 CEST | 2 min 30 s |
| Tangier, Morocco | 10:39 WEST | 2 min 51 s |
| Casablanca, Morocco | 10:40 WEST | 3 min 06 s |
| Algiers, Algeria | 11:51 CET | 3 min 55 s |
| Tunis, Tunisia (north of) | 12:11 CET | 4 min 38 s |
| Benghazi, Libya | 13:01 EET | 5 min 30 s |
| Luxor, Egypt | 12:23 EET | 6 min 23 s · MAX |
| Mecca, Saudi Arabia (north of) | 13:30 AST | 5 min 47 s |
| Sanaa, Yemen | 13:45 AST | 5 min 06 s |
| Mogadishu, Somalia | 13:50 EAT | 3 min 23 s |
Cities outside the narrow band (~258 km wide at peak) see only a partial eclipse — impressive but the corona stays hidden and the sky never goes fully dark. The difference between a 99% partial eclipse and totality is the difference between bright twilight and stars-at-noon. You must be inside the path.
Three independent factors line up for the August 2, 2027 eclipse — and they rarely do at the same time:
The Moon's orbit is slightly elliptical. At perigee it sits ~363,000 km from Earth; at apogee ~405,000 km. In August 2027 it is near perigee, making its apparent disk in the sky larger — and so capable of covering the Sun more completely and for longer.
In early July, Earth reaches aphelion — its farthest point from the Sun in the year (~152 million km vs 147 million at perihelion in January). The Sun's apparent disk is therefore smaller than average in August, easier for the Moon to cover.
At the equator, Earth's rotation speed (~1670 km/h) is maximal — moving in roughly the same direction as the Moon's shadow. The shadow's relative speed over the ground is therefore lower, so a given point stays inside the umbra longer. Combined with factors 1 and 2, totality stretches to a remarkable 6 min 23 s near Luxor.
The longest totality, the Sun at 82° altitude (nearly overhead), and Upper Egypt's reliable August weather (95%+ clear-sky probability). Add ancient Karnak and the Valley of the Kings as a backdrop. Hotels are already filling — book 18+ months ahead for the best rates.
Cádiz, Málaga, and the Strait of Gibraltar coastline. Totality 2 min 08 s to 2 min 30 s — short compared to Luxor but Europe's first total solar eclipse since 1999, just one year after the August 12, 2026 total eclipse over northern Spain. Spain effectively gets two total solar eclipses in less than 12 months.
Less infrastructure than Spain or Egypt, but the path crosses Casablanca (3 min 06 s totality) and Algiers (3 min 55 s). Lower demand means more flexibility on travel. Weather is reliable in early August.
Looking at the Sun without protection — even when 99% covered — can permanently damage the retina. The rules are simple and absolute:
Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses during all partial phases (before and after totality). Naked-eye viewing is safe only during full totality, and only if you are inside the path of totality. The instant the first sliver of Sun returns, glasses go back on. Never use sunglasses, smoked glass, photographic negatives or improvised filters. For cameras and telescopes: use a certified solar filter on the objective lens, never on the eyepiece.