The Solar Eclipse Hub

About Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun's light from reaching part of the Earth. During a total solar eclipse, the sky becomes dark for a short time, even in the middle of the day. This period of darkness usually lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on where you are located within the eclipse path.
The 2027 solar eclipse in Egypt is similar to other total solar eclipses, but it will provide a few minutes of complete darkness during the day. During this time, the sky will change dramatically, giving observers a unique chance to experience and study one of nature’s most fascinating astronomical events.

The History of Solar Eclipse
Early Explanations
One of the earliest known records of a solar eclips comes from the ancient Chinese, who recorded an eclipse in 2136 BCE. They believed that a dragon was devouring the Sun, and civilians would make loud noises and bang on pots and pans to scare it away. In ancient Greece, the philosopher Anaxagoras correctly predicted a solar eclipse in 478 BC. He was the first to suggest that the Moon shines by reflecting light from the Sun, and he was imprisoned for this proposal. His research led to his discovery that eclipses are caused by the Moon blocking the Sun’s light when it passes in front of it. However, his scientific explanation for the phenomenon was not widely accepted until centuries later.

Another Greek philosopher, Aristotle, later refined this theory, explaining that the Earth was at the center of the universe and that the Moon's orbit was slightly tilted relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. This meant that eclipses occurred when the Moon passed directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on the planet. The ancient Maya of Central America were also skilled astronomers and recorded solar eclipses in their calendars. They believed that the eclipses were a sign of impending doom, so they would perform elaborate rituals to appease the gods. In the Middle Ages, Islamic astronomers developed more accurate models of the movements of the Sun, Moon, and planets. The Persian astronomer Al-Battani, for example, refined the earlier Greek models, proposing that the Moon's orbit around the Earth was elliptical rather than circular. By the time of the Renaissance, scientists had developed even more sophisticated theories to explain eclipses, incorporating ideas such as the rotation of the Earth and the elliptical orbits of the planets. Today, astronomers have a detailed understanding of the mechanics of eclipses, and are able to predict the exact timing and location of these rare astronomical events with great precision. Solar eclipses are still a source of wonder and fascination, and astronomers and scientists continue to study them to gain a better understanding of our universe.

ancient mayan calendar astronomical drawing

Famous Eclipses Eclipses that make it to the status of “famous” are generally those that have led to scientific discovery. Some, though, were noted for the sheer number of people who witnessed them. One of the first recorded eclipses was the Thales of Miletus Eclipse in 585 BCE. The ancient Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus correctly predicted the solar eclipse would occur during a battle between the Lydians and the Medes; however, historians debate the exact year the eclipse occurred, and Thales’ method to predict the event remains uncertain. Regardless, upon observing the phenomenon in the sky, soldiers on both sides laid down their weapons and called a truce to end the war. In 1715, the famous astronomer Edmund Halley (of Halley’s comet) correctly calculated the event of a solar eclipse within four minutes over England. Halley used Isaac Newton’s newfound theory on gravitation for his prediction, and he’s credited with funding the publication of Newton’s work in the Principia. The Total Solar Eclipse of 1919 is famous for providing the first experimental evidence for Einstein's theory of general relativity; Einstein predicted that some stars would appear in a different position in the sky during the eclipse due to the Sun’s gravity bending the starlight. Astronomers observed this shift in position to be accurate, and Einstein published his complete theory soon after. The Solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999 was the first visible total solar eclipse in the United Kingdom since 1927, and the first visible in Europe in nearly ten years. It was one of the most photographed eclipses in history, viewable to over 350 million people. The Great American Eclips of 2017 was a total solar eclipse that was visible at least partially across the entire United States. Millions of people watched, as it was the first total solar eclipse to span the United States since 1918.

1919 total solar eclipse einstein relativity original plate photo

The 4 Main Types of Solar Eclipse
Total Solar Eclipse 
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. A total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for the brief period of time when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun.

Annular Solar Eclipse
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the Sun. As a result, the Moon appears as a dark disk on top of a larger, bright disk, creating what looks like a ring around the Moon.

Partial Solar Eclipse
A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly lined up. Only a part of the Sun will appear to be covered, giving it a crescent shape. During a total or annular solar eclipse, people outside the area covered by the Moon’s inner shadow see a partial solar eclipse.

Hybrid Solar Eclipse
Because Earth's surface is curved, sometimes an eclipse can shift between annular and total as the Moon’s shadow moves across the globe. This is called a hybrid solar eclipse.

annular solar eclipse ring of fire

Get Ready for the 2027 Total Solar Eclipse: Path, Duration, and Where to Watch.

The August 2, 2027 total solar eclipse will cross Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemem and Somalia, as well as the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Cities under the path of totality include Cádiz, Spain, Tangiers, Morocco, Benghazi, Libya, Luxor, Egypt, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Maximum duration of totality can be observed near Luxor, Egypt and will last 6 minutes, 22 seconds making it the second longest solar eclipse of the 21st century. The longest occurred during the eclipse in 2009. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the Sun’s disk. During this brief period, the sky darkens as if it were dawn or dusk, birds and other animals may act differently, stars and planets will appear in the sky and the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, blazes from beyond the Moon’s edge.

Why is the 2027 Solar Eclipse is so special?

The 2027 eclipse is often referred to as one of the most extraordinary eclipses of the century due to its long duration of totality, which can exceed 6 minutes in some locations. This makes it one of the longest total solar eclipses visible on land in decades, offering an extended and immersive viewing experience compared to most eclipses, which typically last only a few minutes.

luxor egypt temple eclipse corona