Amateur astronomy enthusiasts and social media users have been widely sharing news of a potential solar eclipse next week, on August 2. However, astronomers have now debunked these rumours, confirming that no such event is scheduled for this date.
In fact, online space fanatics have mistaken the date, with a spectacular total eclipse actually slated to be taking place in two years’ time on 2 August, 2027. Despite the viral claims, The Economic Times reports that there will be no similar event on August 2 in 2025.
Official records from NASA, corroborated by national observatories, confirm that there will be no solar eclipse on 2 August, 2025. Instead, two eclipses are anticipated this year, neither of which coincide with the rumoured date, and UK eclipse chasers have already had their opportunity.
Will there be another solar eclipse this year?
The first was an annular eclipse on 28 February, visible only from certain areas of the South Pacific Ocean. The second upcoming eclipse is a partial eclipse on 23 August, observable only in parts of Canada, Greenland, and the Arctic.
This means any expectations of a dramatic darkening of the skies on 2 August, 2025, are entirely baseless, reports the Express.
What’s behind the confusion?
The eclipse due on August 2, 2027 will not be your average spectacle – so it’s understandable that some online users have got excited a little early. Lasting up to six minutes and 23 seconds, it will be the longest total eclipse visible from land between the years 1991 and 2114.
While most total eclipses last less than three minutes, this one will provide an extended glimpse of the Sun’s outer atmosphere – the corona – promising a stunning display for all those in its path.
The uniqueness of this event boils down to impeccable cosmic timing. Adding a touch of drama, the eclipse’s path skims near the equator, slowing the Moon’s shadow as it traverses the Earth and resulting in an unusually prolonged period of darkness.
Where will the 2027 total eclipse be visible from?
According to the BBC Sky At Night magazine, a full eclipse will be visible on August 2, 2027 from Gibraltar, Southern Spain, North Africa including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, and parts of the Middle East including Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In the rest of Europe, Africa and Western Asia, a partial eclipse will be visible.
However, for now, stargazers will have to hold their breath until 2027 for that unforgettable spectacle.
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