Exactly 100 days from today, a long annular solar eclipse will be visible from parts of South America and West Africa. Feb. 6, 2027’s rare astronomical event will create a “ring of fire” around the new moon for up to 7 minutes 51 seconds.
Where And When To See 2027’s ‘Ring Of Fire’
The path of annularity will be 9,011 miles (14,501 kilometers) long and 180-220 miles (289-355 km) wide, stretching from the South Pacific to West Africa, via Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the Atlantic Ocean, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
Some of the best viewing will likely be from northern Patagonia in Argentina, where the path of the eclipse crosses during summer. Great places to view from include El Maitén, Esquel and Trevelin in the west and Las Grutas on Argentina’s Atlantic coast. A dramatic golden “ring of fire” sunset will be seen from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria, if skies are clear.
What Eclipse Chasers Will See
During the eclipse, the moon will appear too small to cover the sun completely, causing observers to see a bright ring of sunlight, or annulus, around the moon. The ‘ring of fire — which must be viewed through solar eclipse glasses — will be visible for up to 7 minutes 51 seconds, making it one of the longest annular eclipses of the 2020s.
When Is The Next Annular Solar Eclipse?
Although it’s a long ‘ring of fire,’ it will quickly be surpassed. One lunar year later, on Jan. 26, 2028, another annular eclipse will — at 10 minutes 27 seconds — be the second-longest ‘ring of fire’ of the 21st century. The longest, at 11 minutes 8 seconds, was on Jan. 15, 2010. In 2028, the path of annularity will cross over the Galápagos Islands, mainland Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, Morocco and Spain.
When Is The Next Total Solar Eclipse In The U.S.?
The next total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. will occur on March 30, 2033, when totality crosses northern Alaska, including Nome, where the eclipsed sun will hang low above the horizon, and totality will last about two and a half minutes. The next total eclipse to reach the contiguous U.S. comes on Aug. 23, 2044, crossing parts of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota before continuing into Canada. Just under a year later, on Aug. 12, 2045, a much broader eclipse will sweep from California to Florida, bringing up to about six minutes of totality across the central U.S.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.