2027 Total Solar Eclipse Will Last 6 Minutes 29 Seconds Across 90 Million People

Q: Why might a simple mountain completely ruin your chances of witnessing Spain's upcoming rare annular ring of fire eclipse?

A mountain could ruin it because Spain’s Jan. 26, 2028 annular eclipse will be seen very low in the western sky near sunset, so even a modest ridge or peak between you and the horizon can block the Sun entirely. That is the key problem with low-sun eclipses: visibility depends not just on being inside the eclipse path, but on having a clean line of sight to the exact sunset direction. For the 2028 “ring of fire” event, cities such as Seville, Córdoba, Albacete and Valencia are expected to get about seven minutes of annularity, but only if observers can see the Sun above the horizon. If a mountain, hill, building or even trees sit along that western horizon, the annular phase may be shortened or lost. Experts have made the same point for Spain’s 2026 sunset total eclipse and say it applies just as strongly to the 2028 annular event. Spain’s terrain matters because it is one of Europe’s most mountainous countries, and small changes in elevation or horizon clearance can decide whether the eclipsed Sun is visible at all. That is why eclipse planners recommend checking terrain in advance with horizon and eclipse-mapping tools such as NASA and IGN maps, SunsetAtlas, TPE or Eclipse Horizon Checker. In practical terms, the best viewing site is not simply anywhere in the path, but a place with an unobstructed western horizon and favorable weather.

3 articles · Updated · Futura · Aug 16

August 2, 2027 will bring a total solar eclipse lasting up to 6 minutes 29 seconds, making it one of the 21st century’s longest and longer than the 2026 event’s 2 minutes 18 seconds.
Nearly 90 million people lie in the path of totality across southern Spain, North Africa and into Egypt, versus roughly 15 million for the 2026 eclipse.
The unusual duration comes from the Moon being near its closest point to Earth, Earth being farthest from the Sun, and the shadow track running closer to the equator, which slows its sweep.
Egypt is expected to offer some of the best viewing conditions, with daytime darkness over sites such as Luxor and the Valley of the Kings adding to travel demand.
Astronomers say no longer total solar eclipse will occur until June 3, 2114, reinforcing the event’s billing as the eclipse of the century.