Two Total Eclipses, Eleven Months Apart
Aug 12, 2026 vs Aug 2, 2027
On August 12, 2026, totality crossed Iceland and northern Spain with the sun barely above the evening horizon — a spectacular but demanding eclipse where terrain and Atlantic weather decided what you saw. On August 2, 2027, the moon's shadow returns, crossing southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East near midday: the sun stands high in the sky, desert climate dominates the path, and totality near Luxor, Egypt reaches 6m 22s — the longest totality on land between 1991 and 2114 (Saros 136).
August 12, 2026 — the sunset eclipse
Path: Arctic → Iceland → northern Spain & the Balearics. Maximum totality ~2m 18s over the North Atlantic. In Spain the sun stood only 2–12° above the horizon at totality, so mountains and buildings could hide it completely.
| City | Type | Obscuration | Totality | Max (local) | Sun alt | Clear-sky odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oviedo, ES | Total | 100.00% | 1m 51s | 20:27 | 10° | 16% |
| Palma, ES | Total | 100.00% | 1m 39s | 20:31 | 3° | — |
| Zaragoza, ES | Total | 100.00% | 1m 26s | 20:29 | 6° | — |
| Madrid, ES | Partial | 99.97% | — | 20:32 | 7° | — |
| Reykjavík, IS | Total | 100.00% | 1m 0s | 17:48 | 25° | — |
August 2, 2027 — the long one
Path: southern Spain → Morocco → Algeria → Tunisia → Libya → Egypt → Sudan → Saudi Arabia → Yemen → Somalia. Maximum totality 6m 22s near Luxor, Egypt (Saros 136). The sun is high (~76–83° over Egypt and Arabia, ~38° at the Strait of Gibraltar), so terrain matters far less than in 2026.
| City | Type | Obscuration | Totality | Max (local) | Sun alt | Clear-sky odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxor, EG | Total | 100.00% | 6m 26s | 13:05 | 82° | 93% |
| Jeddah, SA | Total | 100.00% | 6m 1s | 13:25 | 76° | — |
| Tangier, MA | Total | 100.00% | 4m 54s | 09:47 | 38° | 60% |
| Cadiz, ES | Total | 100.00% | 2m 55s | 10:46 | 37° | 82% |
| Madrid, ES | Partial | 86.23% | — | 10:51 | 40° | — |
* 20-year ERA5 climatology (2005–2024, ±3 days, at the local peak hour): share of years with ≤20% cloud cover. Historical odds, not a forecast.
† Totality durations in these tables are computed per city centre with Heliora's astronomical engine and can read a few seconds longer than canonical eclipse tables; headline maximum-duration figures are quoted conservatively (rounded down).
What actually changes between the two
- Sun altitude — the terrain question inverts
- 2026 was a horizon-hugging eclipse: at 2–12°, a hill 1 km away could hide totality, which is why Heliora's terrain ray-cast mattered so much. In 2027 the sun is nearly overhead along most of the path — no terrain on Earth blocks an 82° sun. The exception is the western end: at Cádiz–Tangier the sun stands at ~38°, where a clear western horizon still pays.
- Duration — nearly three times longer
- Totality near Luxor lasts 6m 22s against 2026's ~2m 18s maximum — and most 2026 observers in Spain saw far less than that.
- Weather — desert vs Atlantic coast
- The 2026 track through northern Spain averaged ~16% clear-sky odds at the coast; Upper Egypt in August runs ~93%. The 2027 eclipse is about as close to weather-proof as eclipses get.
- Getting there
- Luxor and Aswan for maximum duration and near-certain clear skies; Jeddah and Mecca for the Arabian crossing; Cádiz, Tarifa and Tangier for totality within Europe's reach.
Or drop a pin anywhere on the path — Heliora simulates the exact view, sun position and timings from any spot on Earth
City guides for August 2, 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the next total solar eclipse after August 12, 2026?
- August 2, 2027 — less than a year later. The path of totality crosses southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.
- How long does totality last in 2027 compared to 2026?
- The 2027 eclipse reaches 6 minutes 22 seconds of totality near Luxor, Egypt — the longest totality on land between 1991 and 2114. The 2026 eclipse peaked at roughly 2 minutes 18 seconds over the North Atlantic, and well under 2 minutes from most of Spain.
- Where is the best place to see the August 2, 2027 eclipse?
- Upper Egypt (Luxor, Aswan) combines the longest totality with desert-climate clear skies (~93% clear in early August). For Europe-based travellers, the Cádiz–Gibraltar–Tangier area offers totality with the sun at about 38° and good summer weather.
- Is the 2027 eclipse visible from Spain?
- Yes — the southern edge of the path crosses Andalusia: Cádiz, Tarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar see totality. The rest of Spain sees a deep partial eclipse.
- How were these numbers computed?
- Eclipse times, obscuration, totality durations and sun altitudes are computed per city with a precision astronomical engine (deltaT-corrected). Per-city totality durations can read a few seconds longer than canonical eclipse tables; headline maximum-duration figures are quoted conservatively. Clear-sky odds are 20-year ERA5 climatology (2005–2024, ±3 days around eclipse day, at the local hour of maximum eclipse) — historical odds, not a forecast.