In a year and a half, we will witness what scientists have already dubbed “the eclipse of the century.” It will be an unprecedented astronomical event. For 6 minutes and 26 seconds, daylight will turn to darkness. And all this will take place in the sky above one of the most interesting cities in the world for tourists.
A historic eclipse in the land of the pharaohs
If you like astronomy, mark this date in your calendar: August 2, 2027. It’s the day you should reserve if you want to experience firsthand what will be the most interesting astronomical event of the next 100 years.
But you won’t be able to see it from your backyard. In fact, what’s interesting about this total eclipse is the location where it will be visible, which is none other than the ancient city of Luxor in Egypt.
At noon, specifically at 1:02 p.m. on that day, the scorching heat of the heart of the New Kingdom will give us a break of just over 6 minutes. This will be the time when the sun and moon will be perfectly aligned in a total eclipse. Eclipse hunters have this date marked on their calendars, as it is unlikely that any of us will survive the next one, which will not happen until 2114. In other words, we are talking about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The poetic aspect of this total eclipse is that it will occur in a land where the Sun was considered a deity in ancient times. In Ancient Egypt, Ra marked the beginning of life and the end, with death. The fact that the only total eclipse of the century will occur over the city of Luxor gives the event an aura of mysticism. Although all eclipses are unique, this one will be the most unique in history.
The “stars” will align so that everything turns out perfectly
An eclipse lasting more than two minutes is a totally anomalous phenomenon. But there is an astronomical explanation for why this celestial event will last so long. As it occurs in August and so close to the planet’s equator, the Earth will be near its furthest point from the Sun, known as aphelion. This means that we will see the solar disk as slightly smaller in size.
On the other hand, the Moon will be at its perigee. That is, at its closest point to Earth. With the total eclipse occurring at this precise moment, the event will become a rarity. The Moon will be able to completely block the Sun. And the alignment will ensure that the event can be seen for 6 minutes and 27 seconds.
In addition, weather records in Luxor for the month of August indicate that, historically, there is a near 0% chance of clouds. In other words, the weather is not going to ruin the experience.
This eclipse is considered by the scientific community to be the most important of our era. Most of the eclipses we have seen recently, such as the acclaimed “Great American Eclipse” of 2017 or that of 2024 in North America, offered windows of totality lasting around two to four minutes. The 2027 eclipse will double and even triple that duration at its peak.
During those six minutes, the unique phenomena will be visible. For example, you will be able to calmly observe the “chromosphere,” which is the reddish layer of the solar atmosphere. Baily’s beads, the last rays of light filtering through the lunar valleys just before and after totality, will also be visible. In addition, the darkness will be deep and prolonged enough for stars and planets such as Venus and Jupiter to become visible in broad daylight, creating a surreal panorama over the dunes and ancient monuments.
If you want to plan a trip or are a photographer of this type of situation, the good news is that you have a year and a half to make your plans. Remember that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.