Middle East to plunge into darkness in 2027 with rare total solar eclipse
Middle East to plunge into darkness in 2027 with rare total solar eclipse
———————————
A rare total solar eclipse will darken parts of the Middle East on August 2, 2027, plunging regions of Saudi Arabia and Yemen into six minutes of darkness, The National reported. This event, one of the longest total eclipses of the century, will also be visible across southern Europe and North Africa, with millions witnessing the phenomenon.
In Luxor, Egypt, totality will last up to six minutes and 23 seconds, the longest land-based eclipse visible this century. Cities such as Jeddah will experience the Moon completely blocking the Sun in midafternoon, revealing the Sun’s corona, its outer atmosphere. Partial eclipses will be visible in the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and parts of India. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, approximately 55% of the Sun will be obscured, creating a crescent-shaped Sun at peak eclipse.
Solar eclipses occur due to precise alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, a rare coincidence at any given location. The path of totality will cross densely populated areas including southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
Experts warn that looking directly at the Sun without proper ISO-certified solar glasses is dangerous and can cause permanent eye damage. Using binoculars or cameras without solar filters is also unsafe.
This eclipse offers scientists a chance to study the Sun’s corona, magnetic fields, and solar wind. The next total solar eclipse in the region will occur in 2081, with a partial eclipse visible in the UAE in 2030.
