It will block the sun for 6 minutes, affecting 10 countries and 86 million people. What's the story behind the upcoming eclipse?

Arab Weather - A total solar eclipse... A rare sight as day turns to darkness will soon be witnessed across 10 Arab countries, marking the longest total solar eclipse the region has seen in a century. For just a few minutes, the sun will be completely obscured, plunging major cities like Luxor, Benghazi, and Jeddah into complete darkness.

According to data from NASA and the Time and Date Center, this astronomical event is one of the longest total eclipses of the current century, with the sky turning into a dark twilight that swallows up the daylight at midday.

Total solar eclipse date

On Saturday, August 2, 2027, the world is expected to witness one of the rarest astronomical phenomena of the century: a total solar eclipse. This phenomenon will be visible to all inhabitants of the Earth, even Egypt will see it clearly.

The eclipse is long when the moon is at its closest point to Earth, and when the path of the moon's shadow is close to the equator.

Path of the total solar eclipse 2027

The eclipse path begins in the North Atlantic Ocean and will first reach southern Spain, specifically the Costa del Sol in the Andalusia region. From there, the eclipse will continue to Gibraltar, before heading south to North Africa.

As the path moves south from Spain, it will pass through countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Egypt will experience the longest total eclipse, with noticeable darkness lasting 6 minutes and 22 seconds in some areas. This will occur in cities such as Luxor and Berenice, which are ideal locations for eclipse observers.

The eclipse will continue across the Middle East, passing through Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and parts of East Africa, before ending its journey in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The eclipse will affect an estimated 89 million people, giving them a rare opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse.

Source: Al Bayan and Al Masry Al Youm.