.jpg "Total Solar Eclipse 2027: The Longest Eclipse of the Century Explained")
Total Solar Eclipse 2027: The Longest Eclipse of the Century Explained
- A rare total solar eclipse slated for August 2, 2027, will plunge parts of North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East into total darkness for more than six...
- During the peak at 10.07 Universal Time, the Moon will cross directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the solar disc in the middle of the...
- NASA mapping shows the path of totality stretching roughly 258 kilometers wide across the Atlantic Ocean, southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East.
A rare total solar eclipse slated for August 2, 2027, will plunge parts of North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East into total darkness for more than six minutes at its peak. rmol.id reported that the celestial event features a maximum totality lasting 6 minutes and 23 seconds, making it one of the longest land-based solar eclipses of the twenty-first century. Media Indonesia reported that the phenomenon is also dubbed “Gerhana Abad Ini” or the Eclipse of the Century, representing the longest total solar eclipse on land between 1991 and 2114. Space noted that a partial solar eclipse will be visible for 80 minutes before and after the total eclipse occurs.
During the peak at 10.07 Universal Time, the Moon will cross directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the solar disc in the middle of the day. CNN Indonesia reported that the phenomenon is projected to transform daylight into sudden twilight, with temperatures dropping by up to 10 degrees Celsius and planets appearing in the darkened sky. CNN Indonesia added that during the totality phase, the corona or outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere will be visible to the naked eye as thin filaments of light extending in all directions. Kelly Korreck, a solar eclipse program scientist at NASA Headquarters, noted the rare alignment required for such events, stating, Ada bulan-bulan lain yang melintas di depan Matahari, namun memiliki Bulan dengan ukuran dan jarak yang sempurna untuk menyaksikan ini sungguh istimewa,
as quoted by Euronews and reported by CNN Indonesia. rmol.id noted that the event forms part of Saros cycle 136, specifically as the thirty-eighth member out of 71 total members within that geometric movement cycle.
The Path of Totality Across Europe and North Africa
NASA mapping shows the path of totality stretching roughly 258 kilometers wide across the Atlantic Ocean, southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East. rmol.id reported that the corridor crosses southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Media Indonesia added that the pathway also spans the Mediterranean Sea and reaches Gibraltar, where the duration lasts approximately 4 minutes and 28 seconds, alongside parts of the Sahara Desert in Libya with durations reaching up to 6 minutes.
Two years from today, one of the longest total solar eclipses of the century will occur. The maximum duration of totality will be an incredible 6 minutes and 23 seconds. (The longest of the century was 6:39 in 2009.)https://t.co/oFjkZlh3Kv pic.twitter.com/WxHsVRB6V7
Media Indonesia reported that the point of maximum eclipse with the longest totality will occur in Egypt, specifically southeast of Luxor, near historical sites such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. In Spain, cities like Cadiz and Malaga will see shorter durations, while Tangier in Morocco and Sfax in Tunisia fall directly within the path. Media Indonesia specified that southern Spanish locations such as Tarifa, Cadiz, and Ronda will experience durations up to 4 minutes and 30 seconds, northern Moroccan locations like Tangier will see durations around 4 minutes and 50 seconds, and coastal Tunisian cities such as Sfax will reach durations around 5 minutes and 40 seconds.
Visibility in Mecca and the Middle East
rmol.id confirmed that Indonesia lies entirely outside the path of totality, meaning observers in that country cannot view the total phase directly. The year 2027 will still bring five total eclipses globally, including an annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027, and three penumbral lunar eclipses. CNBC Indonesia noted that the next eclipse reaching a peak duration of this magnitude will occur on August 12, 2045, lasting 6 minutes and 6 seconds near Florida.
Comparing Eclipse Durations and Safety Protocols
The six-minute-plus duration in 2027 significantly outlasts the 2026 total solar eclipse, which lasted 2 minutes and 18 seconds, and the April 2024 North American eclipse, which clocked in at 4 minutes and 28 seconds, according to CNN Indonesia. Kelly Korreck, a solar eclipse program scientist at NASA Headquarters, noted the rare alignment required for such events. Sejauh ini, Bumi adalah satu-satunya planet yang kita ketahui mengalami jenis gerhana matahari seperti ini,
Korreck stated, as quoted by Euronews and reported by CNN Indonesia. CNN Indonesia added that theoretically, the longest possible total solar eclipse is approximately seven and a half minutes, requiring the Sun to be at apogee, the Moon at perigee, and the totality path to cross the equator.
Astronomers also anticipate clear skies over the Sahara Desert and the Middle East in August, reducing the likelihood of cloud interference. CNN Indonesia emphasized that specialized solar viewing glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 international standard remain mandatory during all partial phases to prevent severe eye damage.