ENES

Total Solar Eclipse in Egypt and Luxor, August 2, 2027

If you want the longest totality this eclipse offers, Egypt is the place to look. NASA puts the greatest duration at 6 min 23.2 s, and timeanddate gives Luxor 6 min 22 s. Watching the Sun go dark for over six minutes above the temples of ancient Thebes is the image many people have in mind when they start planning.

At a glance

Max duration (big town)6 min 22 s (Luxor)
Best regionsLuxor, Qena, Sohag
Sun altitude at maximum82°
Clear-sky chance100%

Check your town

Luxor: times and totality

Per timeanddate (local time, EEST):

  • Partial begins: 11:40 am
  • Maximum: 1:05 pm (magnitude 1.035)
  • Partial ends: 2:26 pm
  • Totality: 6 min 22 s

The eclipse is around midday, so the Sun is high in the sky. You will be looking almost straight up.

Aswan is outside the path

Aswan, further south, sees only a partial eclipse according to timeanddate (magnitude 0.996, maximum 1:08 pm). If you are on a Nile cruise, make sure the boat is near Luxor, not Aswan, on 2 August.

Path of totalityCentre lineTap or click any point to see if it gets totality.

Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA's GSFC. Path limits from NASA. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap.

Heat and comfort

Midday in Upper Egypt in August means strong sun for hours. NASA reminds eclipse watchers that they may be in direct sunlight for hours and should use sunscreen, a hat and protective clothing. Bring plenty of water and some shade for the long partial phase. timeanddate's historical record shows Luxor was cloudy 0% of the time on 2 August since 2000. See weather.

FAQ

Does Cairo see totality?

No. Cairo is north of the path. timeanddate gives it a partial eclipse of magnitude 0.947, with maximum at 12:55 pm EEST. The path crosses the Nile valley further south, around Luxor.

Is Luxor really the longest?

Luxor is within about a second of NASA's greatest duration.

Do I need glasses at midday?

Yes. Use certified eclipse glasses for every phase except totality.