Travel expert Kate Donnelley has highlighted six destinations where people can witness the next total solar eclipse in 2027, avoiding a wait until 2090 for one visible from the UK.
Next eclipse in 2027
The next total solar eclipse is scheduled for August 2, 2027, but it will not be visible from the UK. According to NASA and the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the next total solar eclipse visible from the UK will not occur until 2090, with the path of totality sweeping across Cornwall and the south coast of England.
The UK's relatively small landmass means another total solar eclipse on home soil will take much longer to occur. However, solar eclipses occur between two and five times a year somewhere on Earth.
Where to see it
Kate Donnelley (@Thedonnelleyedit) suggests several locations for a 2027 holiday to witness the cosmic event, most of which are a reasonably short distance away. The eclipse should be visible from southern Spain, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East. The list of places to consider includes:
- Cádiz, Spain
- Tangiers, Morocco
- Gibraltar
- Benghazi, Libya
- Luxor, Egypt
- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Kate said: "The city of Luxor in Egypt is going to be the absolute best place to view this eclipse and they are going to see the longest duration of totality, estimated at six minutes, which is going to make this one of the longest total eclipses of the 21st century."
Planning and UK visibility
She suggested that people seriously considering a holiday to coincide with the next eclipse should make their plans sooner rather than later. She said: "Now is the time to be looking at your flights and accommodation because those prices are already on the rise."
Staying in the UK is always an option, although the darkness will not be as dramatic as other parts of the world, as mainland Britain is forecast to completely miss out on the path of totality. Instead, the Moon will only cover a fraction of the Sun. The exact amount of the Sun hidden from view depends heavily on geographic location. For example, the Isles of Scilly will see the highest obscuration at 48%. Parts of Southern England, like London and surrounding areas, will experience roughly 42% to 45% coverage. Up north, parts of Scotland in the Shetland Isles will see the lowest visibility, with only 13% of the Sun covered.
