2027 has two solar eclipses and three faint lunar ones. The main event is the total solar eclipse of Monday, August 2, which crosses Spain, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula with up to 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality. An annular "ring of fire" eclipse comes on February 6. Neither is properly visible from the US, and the UK sees a partial eclipse in August.
Eclipse dates and times for 2027
The dates, types and visibility come from the eclipse catalog of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The times are the moment of greatest eclipse, rounded to the minute, in US Eastern Time and UK time.
| Date | Eclipse | Greatest eclipse | Where it is visible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, February 6 | Annular solar | about 11:00 a.m. EST / 16:00 GMT | Ring: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, the Atlantic, West Africa. Partial: South America, Antarctica, western and southern Africa |
| Saturday, February 20 | Penumbral lunar | about 6:13 p.m. EST / 23:13 GMT | Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia |
| Sunday, July 18 | Penumbral lunar (marginal) | about 12:03 p.m. EDT / 17:03 BST | Eastern Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific |
| Monday, August 2 | Total solar | about 6:07 a.m. EDT / 11:07 BST | Totality: Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia. Partial: Europe, Africa, the Middle East, western and southern Asia |
| Tuesday, August 17 | Penumbral lunar | about 3:14 a.m. EDT / 08:14 BST | The Pacific and the Americas |
An eclipse happens at one moment for the whole world, so the calendar date can differ by a day in other time zones. The lunar eclipse of February 20, for example, falls on the morning of February 21 in Asia.
Total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027
This is the eclipse of the year, and one of the longest of the century. The Moon's shadow touches land in southern Spain, crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and runs along North Africa through Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It then passes over Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the tip of Somalia. At the point of greatest eclipse, in Egypt, totality lasts 6 minutes 23 seconds. No total solar eclipse will last longer for the rest of this century.
Outside the narrow path, a partial eclipse is seen across most of Europe, much of Africa and the Middle East. The path, the timing and the safety rules are covered in detail on our page about the total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027.
Annular solar eclipse of February 6, 2027
In an annular eclipse the Moon is near its farthest point from Earth and looks slightly smaller than the Sun. It cannot cover the Sun completely, and a bright ring remains around the dark disk of the Moon.
On February 6 the ring is visible from parts of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, then across the South Atlantic to the coast of West Africa, including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. On the central line the ring lasts up to 7 minutes 51 seconds. A partial eclipse covers much of South America and Africa. Nothing of this eclipse can be seen from the US or the UK.
An annular eclipse is never safe to view without eye protection, even at its peak, because part of the Sun's bright face always stays uncovered.
The same new moon begins the Year of the Goat in the Chinese calendar: February 6 is also Chinese New Year 2027. The calendar month starts at new moon, and a solar eclipse can only happen at new moon, which is all the two events have in common.
Lunar eclipses of 2027: three faint ones
A lunar eclipse happens at full moon, when Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. In 2027 the Moon misses the dark central shadow every time and only passes through the pale outer part, the penumbra. Such eclipses are subtle. At best, one edge of the Moon looks slightly dimmer for an hour or so.
- February 20 is the deepest of the three and the one worth a look. It is an evening event in the eastern US and comes late at night in the UK.
- July 18 barely qualifies. The Moon only grazes the penumbra, and nothing can be seen by eye. It also falls in daylight for the US and the UK.
- August 17 is visible from the Americas in the early morning hours.
There is no total lunar eclipse, and so no "blood moon," in 2027. The dates of the full moons themselves are in our full moon calendar for 2027.
Can you see an eclipse from the US or the UK in 2027?
United States. This is a quiet year. Neither solar eclipse reaches the country in any real sense: NASA lists northern Maine at the very edge of the August 2 partial eclipse, where a sliver of the Sun is covered for a few minutes at sunrise. The penumbral lunar eclipses of February 20 and August 17 are above the horizon, but they are hard to notice.
United Kingdom. On the morning of August 2 Britain sees a good partial solar eclipse. In London it runs from about 9:03 to 10:59 BST, and at the maximum, around 10:00, the Moon covers a little over half of the Sun's width. The penumbral lunar eclipse of February 20 is also in the sky, close to midnight.
How to watch a solar eclipse safely
The guidance below follows NASA and the American Astronomical Society.
- Looking directly at the Sun is unsafe at any time except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, and totality is seen only inside the path of the Moon's shadow.
- During a partial or annular eclipse, and during the partial phases before and after totality, use eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer that meets the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
- Ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the Sun, no matter how dark they are.
- Check a viewer before each use, and throw it away if it is scratched, punctured or torn. Supervise children.
- Do not look at the Sun through a camera, binoculars or a telescope unless a proper solar filter is fitted over the front of the device. Eclipse glasses do not make these devices safe.
- An indirect method works without any filter: a pinhole projector casts an image of the Sun onto a surface, and you watch the image with your back to the Sun.
Lunar eclipses need no protection at all. You are looking at the Moon in Earth's shadow, and it is safe with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
When are the next eclipses after 2027?
2028 is a better year. According to NASA's catalog:
- January 12, 2028: partial lunar eclipse, visible from the Americas, Europe and Africa.
- January 26, 2028: annular solar eclipse. The ring crosses Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Suriname and ends in Spain and Portugal; a partial eclipse is seen from eastern North America and western Europe.
- July 22, 2028: total solar eclipse over Australia and New Zealand.
- December 31, 2028: total lunar eclipse, visible from Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
For the US, the next total solar eclipses are on March 30, 2033, in Alaska, on August 23, 2044, in Montana and North Dakota, and on August 12, 2045, across the southern states.