Total Solar Eclipse of August 2, 2027
Totality lasts up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, the longest of any eclipse in this calendar, along a path from Morocco to Somalia via Spain. Not visible at all from the United States or Canada.
Totality reaches Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. Outside that path, the partial-visibility zone covers Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and western and southern Asia, but not North America.
Key facts about the August 2, 2027 eclipse
On Monday, August 2, 2027, a total solar eclipse traces a path that opens in Morocco, crosses the south of Spain, then continues through Algeria, Libya, and Egypt before reaching Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. Along that corridor, the Moon covers 100% of the Sun for up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, the longest totality of any eclipse in this calendar through 2030. Outside that path, across a zone that spans Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and western and southern Asia, the phenomenon is visible as a partial eclipse.
As with every solar eclipse, the safety rule doesn't change based on location: outside the brief window of totality itself, direct observation requires ISO 12312-2 certified glasses, without exception.
Is the August 2, 2027 eclipse visible from the US or UK?
United States and Canada
No. This is the clearest answer on this page: neither the path of totality nor the wider partial-visibility zone reaches North America on August 2, 2027. If you're in the continental United States or Canada, the Sun looks exactly as it does on any other day. There is nothing to see, and nothing to protect your eyes from, on this particular date.
United Kingdom
The partial-visibility zone for this eclipse is listed as Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and western and southern Asia, with Europe named as a whole region. That's broad enough to plausibly include the UK, though our source data doesn't break out a UK-specific start time or percentage of the Sun covered. If you're in the UK, expect a partial eclipse at most; no path of totality reaches British soil.
For US and UK readers who want to see this eclipse in full, rather than not at all or only partially, the destination is the path itself: the south of Spain is the nearest and most accessible entry point into totality, followed by Morocco just across the Strait of Gibraltar.
Why totality lasts almost three times longer than in 2026
On August 2, 2027, the Moon covers the Sun completely for up to 6 minutes 23 seconds at the best point on its path, against 2 minutes 18 seconds on August 12, 2026, nearly three times longer. The difference comes down to the Moon's distance from Earth on each date: the closer the Moon, the wider the shadow it casts on the ground, and the longer totality lasts at any single point along that shadow's path.
Magnitude confirms the gap: 1.079 in 2027 against 1.039 in 2026. Both values sit above 1, enough for a total eclipse either way, but with a noticeably wider margin in 2027, which shows up directly as a wider path and a longer totality along its entire length.
What extra minutes change on the ground
For observers inside the path, the difference is easy to notice. More time to look at the solar corona with the naked eye once glasses come off, more time to spot prominences along the edge of the Moon's silhouette, and more time for the temperature drop and the sudden quiet from birds and insects, two effects that come with every totality but that a 2-minute window barely gives you time to register. Six minutes is also long enough to look up from a camera rather than spend the entire window framing a shot.
The path of totality: Morocco to Somalia via Spain
The path of totality comes in from the Atlantic over Morocco, crosses the south of Spain, then continues through Algeria, Libya, and Egypt before reaching the Arabian Peninsula through Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and closing over Somalia, in the Horn of Africa. It's an unusual corridor for an eclipse that also concerns Europe: it links two continents and eight countries across several thousand kilometers, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Indian Ocean.
Beyond that path, the eclipse stays visible as a partial eclipse across a much larger area covering Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and western and southern Asia. That wider zone is where most of the audience for this eclipse actually lives, the UK included. It is not where the continental United States or Canada sits; North America falls outside both the path and the zone entirely.
The width of the path itself, not just its length, matters for anyone planning to be inside it. A wider corridor, driven by the same close-Moon geometry that stretches totality to 6 minutes 23 seconds, gives more margin for error when picking a viewing spot: stray a short distance from the centerline and totality shortens gradually rather than disappearing outright, unlike the sharp cutoff at the very edge of the path, where a location just outside sees no totality at all, however deep the partial phase looks.
Comparing August 2027 to August 2026
| Aug 12, 2026 | Aug 2, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Wednesday | Monday |
| Magnitude | 1.039 | 1.079 |
| Maximum totality | 2m 18s | 6m 23s |
| Path of totality | Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain | Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia |
| Partial-visibility zone | Northern North America, west Africa, Europe | Africa, Europe, Middle East, west & south Asia |
The common thread is clear: both eclipses fall in the middle of summer, ten days apart on the calendar (August 12 and August 2), both cross Spain, and neither reaches the continental United States or the UK with a path of totality. The rest diverges sharply: totality runs almost three times longer in 2027, and its path extends much farther south and east, all the way to the Horn of Africa, while the 2026 path stayed confined to the North Atlantic and Europe.
Safety: the no-glasses window exists only inside the path
For the vast majority of observers, everywhere outside the path of totality, this eclipse behaves exactly like the one in 2026: it stays partial from first contact to last, and certified ISO 12312-2 glasses need to stay on without interruption. No percentage of coverage, however high, makes naked-eye viewing safe. As long as any sliver of the Sun's disk is still shining, the retina is still exposed.
For observers physically inside the path of totality, in Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, or Somalia, one exception exists: during totality itself, when the Moon covers 100% of the Sun's disk, the sky darkens enough to remove glasses safely with the naked eye, for up to 6 minutes 23 seconds depending on the exact point along the path.
The two moments that bound the window
Two instants frame the no-glasses window: the start of totality, when the last sliver of Sun disappears behind the Moon, and the end of totality, when the first ray reappears, the effect known as the diamond ring. Only between those two moments is the naked eye safe. Before and after, including seconds before totality begins, the Sun's residual glare is still dangerous to the retina, and glasses need to go back on immediately.
The rule outside the path
If you're not physically standing inside the path of totality, this eclipse never offers a safe moment to look up without ISO 12312-2 glasses, no matter how deep the partial coverage gets. Our eclipse glasses guide covers the standard and how to verify a pair before an eclipse.
Planning a trip to see totality
Traveling for totality changes the preparation compared with watching a partial eclipse from your backyard. Three things to plan around: the exact location inside the path, avoiding its edges, where totality duration drops toward zero fast; the weather, since a fully overcast sky cancels the point of the trip, while a partial eclipse stays at least partly visible through thin cloud; and lodging, which needs to be booked early, since towns inside a path of totality routinely sell out months ahead of the event.
August, a peak vacation month on both sides of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, adds extra pressure on availability compared with an eclipse landing outside the travel season, like the one coming five months later in January 2028.
A trip built around totality is worth structuring in layers: a primary viewing site well inside the path, away from its northern and southern edges, a backup site an hour or two away in case of local cloud cover, and a flexible enough itinerary to shift between the two on the morning of the eclipse based on the forecast. Southern Spain and Morocco both sit early in the path, which means a shorter flight for most US and UK travelers than pushing on toward Egypt or the Arabian Peninsula, at the cost of a slightly lower Sun angle than observers farther along the corridor will get.
What comes next: the annular eclipse of January 26, 2028
The next solar eclipse after August 2, 2027 follows in under six months: January 26, 2028, an annular eclipse whose path crosses Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Suriname before reaching Spain again, this time paired with Portugal. The change in type, total in August 2027, annular in January 2028, changes an important safety rule: an annular eclipse never offers a no-glasses window, not even inside its path, unlike this one. Full detail is on our Solar Eclipse 2028 page.
For the complete five-year outlook, including the 2030 eclipse and the eclipse-free year of 2029, see our next solar eclipse calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is the August 2, 2027 eclipse visible from the United States?
No. Neither the path of totality nor the wider partial-visibility zone reaches North America on this date. From the continental United States or Canada, no eclipse is visible at all on August 2, 2027.
Is it visible from the United Kingdom?
As a partial eclipse, plausibly yes: the partial-visibility zone is listed as covering Europe as a whole, wide enough to include the UK, though our source doesn't give a UK-specific time or percentage. No path of totality reaches the UK.
Do you have to go to Morocco or Spain to see totality?
Yes, to see the Sun fully covered. Totality only happens inside the narrow path that crosses those two countries before continuing to Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. Outside that path, including elsewhere in Spain or Morocco, the eclipse stays partial.
Why does totality last longer than in 2026?
Totality duration depends on the Moon's distance from Earth at the time of the eclipse: the closer the Moon, the wider its shadow and the longer totality lasts at a given point. On August 2, 2027, that puts the maximum duration at 6 minutes 23 seconds, versus 2 minutes 18 seconds on August 12, 2026.
Can you remove your glasses during totality?
Only during the phase when the Sun's disk is completely covered by the Moon, and only for observers inside the path of totality. Before and after that phase, and at all times for anyone outside the path, ISO 12312-2 glasses are required.
Are glasses bought for the 2026 eclipse still good in 2027?
Yes, if the filter is undamaged and the pair is under three years old, the recommended lifespan for an ISO 12312-2 lens. Only a year separates the two eclipses, which leaves a wide margin; check for scratches, holes, or delamination before reusing.
What's the difference between this eclipse and the one on January 26, 2028?
August 2, 2027 is total: the Moon fully covers the Sun inside its path. January 26, 2028 is annular: the Moon, farther from Earth on that date, leaves a ring of light visible throughout, with no moment where it's safe to remove glasses.
Where can I find certified glasses for this date?
The same channels as for any eclipse: opticians, pharmacies, astronomy shops, and online marketplaces, provided the item is explicitly marked ISO 12312-2. Our eclipse glasses guide covers how to verify a pair before you trust it.
When is the next eclipse after August 2, 2027?
January 26, 2028, an annular eclipse visible from Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, Spain, and Portugal. It also stays partial for the UK and does not reach the continental United States.