The solar ‘eclipse of the century’ will take place on August 2, 2027, with an impressive duration and visibility.
There is some misinformation circulating on social media that the longest solar eclipse will occur next month. No, there won’t be any solar eclipse in August 2025, and the news is completely wrong.
The major solar eclipse creating buzz online is scheduled for August 2, 2027. The ‘eclipse of the century’ will last for 6 minutes and 23 seconds. It will be the longest solar eclipse visible from land between 1991 and 2114.
During this astronomical event, the moon will block the sun completely. The moon will be closest to Earth and will appear larger. The Earth will be near its farthest point from the Sun, making the Sun appear a bit smaller.
The path of the eclipse will be close to the equator, a region where the speed of the Moon’s shadow moves slowly across the Earth.
The path of the totality, where the Sun will be completely overshadowed by the Moon, will stretch across 3 continents, which means it will cross the path of 11 countries. But the whole world will not go dark.
There is scientific significance to this eclipse. It will be a great opportunity for the scientists to study the surface of the Sun: the Corona, coronal mass ejections, and solar flares.
During this specific time, everyone should avoid directly looking at the Sun. The ISO-certified eclipse glasses are recommended to view the sky. Ordinary glasses or binoculars without a solar filter are not safe and cause eye damage.
In comparison, a total solar eclipse occurred in the United States, Mexico, and Canada on April 8, 2024. The totality lasted for 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
There will be a partial solar eclipse on September 21, 2025. It will be visible from New Zealand, Eastern Australia, Antarctica, and the South Pacific Ocean.
What is a Solar and Lunar Eclipse?
A Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon.