Solar eclipse dates now point to Monday, 2 August 2027, when a total eclipse will sweep across southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. For people in the path, the standout number is Luxor in Egypt: about six minutes and 22 seconds of totality.
The US National Solar Observatory said cities under the path of totality include Cádiz, Tangiers, Gibraltar, Benghazi, Luxor and Jeddah. The same path crosses Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia, and it extends over the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Luxor and Jeddah
Luxor in Egypt is likely to get the longest duration, and the article describes the 2027 event as the longest total solar eclipse this century. The Saudi Space Agency said total darkness will last approximately six minutes in southern areas like Abha, and about five minutes and 50 seconds in Jeddah and parts of the western coast.
That long interval is unusual because totality varies by location along the track of the moon’s shadow. A spot closer to the centerline can stay in darkness longer, which is why one city can get a fuller experience than another city only a short distance away.
Spain and the wider eclipse path
The path reaches southern Spain as well as North Africa and the Middle East, so the eclipse will not be a single-country event. People in the United States, Canada, Senegal, Morocco, Germany, Poland and the UK and Ireland will also be able to view a partial eclipse, while Devon and Cornwall are among the best spots in the UK.
The article also notes that Europe saw its best eclipse since 1999 on 12 August, which gives the 2027 event an unusual comparison point: this one is not only long, it arrives after another recent eclipse milestone already drew attention across Europe.
Safety for eclipse viewers
The Saudi Space Agency stressed the critical importance of following safety guidelines, urging observers to avoid looking directly at the sun without specialised protective glasses or filtered binoculars. That advice applies wherever the eclipse is seen, whether the view is total or partial, because the eye needs proper protection right up to the edge of totality and again as daylight returns.
For readers in Cádiz, Tangiers, Gibraltar, Benghazi, Luxor and Jeddah, the useful next step is straightforward: map the local path, choose a viewing point with clear sightlines, and use filtered eye protection before 2 August 2027 arrives. The only thing still worth watching is how the weather behaves on the day, since the eclipse itself is already on the calendar.
