المملكة: Jeddah Astronomy: The eclipse of August 2, 2027 will cross the Kingdom’s sky for more than 6 minutes
Confirmed President of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, said that the Kingdom will have a date with one of the most important Astronomical events in the twenty-first century, on Monday, August 2, 2027, when it crosses the path of The total solar eclipsewest and southwest of Saudi Arabia, in a rare phenomenon that will give millions of residents the opportunity to witness the disappearance of the entire disk of the sun behind the moon in an exceptional celestial scene.
It is the first total eclipse the country has witnessed in seven decades, turning the day into complete darkness in several cities such as Mecca, Jeddah, and Najran.
Abu Zahra explained that the path of the total eclipse will extend from the coast of the Red Sea, passing through the west and southwest of the Kingdom, all the way to South of it, to include a large number of cities and governorates, the most prominent of which are Mecca, Jeddah, Thuwal, Dhahban, Khulais, Asfan, Al-Jamoum, Bahrah, Al-Jarana, Taif, Al-Hada, Al-Shifa, Al-Sir, Al-Layth, Adham, Maysan, Al-Mandaq, Al-Baha, Baljurashi, Al-Majaridah, Al-Qunfudhah, Sabt Al-Alaya, Al-Namas, Tanuma, Barq, Al-Quoz, and Khamis. Mushait, Ahad Rufaidah, Baysh, Sabya, Jazan, Najran, Dhahran Al Janoub, Sarat Ubaidah, Haradh, Gharan, and Ghamika.
Duration of the total eclipse
Abu Zahra indicated that the duration of the total eclipse will vary from one region to another depending on its location within the path of the moon’s shadow, indicating that the residents of Mecca will see the total eclipse for a period of approximately 5 minutes. And 10 seconds, while its duration in Jeddah is close to 6 minutes, and it will last about 6 minutes in Khamis Mushait, Abha and the surrounding areas, while its duration in Najran is about 5 minutes and 30 seconds.
He added that the cities located outside the path of the total eclipse, such as Riyadh, Medina, Dammam, and Tabuk, will witness only a partial eclipse, as the moon will obscure part of the sun’s disk without covering it completely.
An event Exceptional
Abu Zahra explained that the eclipse of August 2, 2027 is an exceptional event at the global level, as the path of the total eclipse extends across several countries, while the maximum duration of the eclipse reaches about 6 minutes and 23 seconds over Egyptian territory, which is one of the longest durations of a total eclipse recorded during the twenty-first century.
He explained that the stage of the total eclipse will bring about noticeable changes in the surrounding environment, as daylight turns into something resembling twilight, and the intensity of illumination decreases. Clearly, temperatures may drop by several degrees Celsius, and the solar corona surrounding the sun will appear, in addition to the possibility of seeing some bright stars and planets, which are scenes that can only be observed during a total eclipse.
Safety procedures
The President of the Jeddah Astronomical Society stressed the importance of adhering to safety procedures when observing the phenomenon, stressing the necessity of using solar eclipse glasses conforming to the international standard ISO 12312-2 or safe observing methods during all stages of the eclipse. Partial, warning against looking directly at the sun without appropriate means of protection as this may result in permanent damage to the retina.
He explained that the only exception is during the phase of the total eclipse when the disk of the sun completely disappears behind the moon, where the phenomenon can be safely observed with the naked eye, provided that the means of protection are reused as soon as the first thread of sunlight appears again.
A historic opportunity
Abu Zahra concluded his statement by emphasizing that an eclipse August 2, 2027 represents one of the most prominent scientific occasions that the Kingdom and the Arab countries will witness, and a historic opportunity to enhance interest in astronomy and spread the culture of safe observation among members of society, especially since a total eclipse of this duration will not be repeated over most parts of the region except after long periods of time.
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