Topline<\/p>\n
Ancient Egypt\u2019s former capital is about to become ground zero for the world\u2019s eclipse chasers. On Aug. 2, 2027, the moon\u2019s shadow will cross Luxor shortly after 1 p.m. local time, bringing 6 minutes 19 seconds of totality to the ancient city during a very special total solar eclipse<\/a>. The combination of exceptional duration, near-guaranteed clear skies and one of the world\u2019s richest archaeological landscapes has made Luxor the symbolic heart of what is already being called the \u201ceclipse of the century.\u201d Many thousands of international visitors are expected to descend on the city for what could become one of the largest eclipse gatherings in history. Here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/p>\n On Aug. 2, 2027, the moon\u2019s shadow will pass directly over monuments built in Luxor, Egypt, more than 3,000 years ago by one of history\u2019s great sun-worshipping civilizations<\/p>\n gettyKey Facts<\/p>\n The 2027 total solar eclipse reaches maximum totality just southeast of Luxor. Observers there will experience 6 minutes 22 seconds of darkness, while Luxor itself receives 6 minutes 19 seconds beginning at 1:02 p.m. EEST.<\/p>\n Egypt offers the most reliable weather anywhere along the eclipse path. August cloud cover is exceptionally rare thanks to the subtropical high-pressure system that dominates North Africa, although dust and haze are possible.<\/p>\n The sun will be almost directly overhead during totality. At about 82\u00b0 above the horizon, many observers will need to lie on a blanket or sunbed to comfortably view the solar corona, which will dominate a dark sky.<\/p>\n Temperatures in Luxor often exceed 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius) in early August. During totality, the temperature could briefly fall by 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) before rising rapidly again once the sun reappears.<\/p>\n Many thousands of eclipse chasers are expected in Luxor. Most visitors are likely to watch from hotels, Nile cruise ships or riverside viewing areas rather than iconic sites such as Karnak Temple or Luxor Temple, where access is likely to be restricted.<\/p>\n Luxor is often described as the world\u2019s largest open-air museum. Built on the site of ancient Thebes, it is home to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple and, across the Nile, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu.<\/p>\n The path of totality crosses southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Almost 89 million people live inside the path.<\/p>\n Why Luxor Is The World\u2019s Most Extraordinary Eclipse Destination<\/p>\n Luxor occupies the site of ancient Thebes, the capital of the pharaohs during the height of ancient Egypt\u2019s power in the second millennium BCE. Today, the city stretches along the east bank of the Nile, where Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple remain among the greatest surviving monuments of the ancient world. Across the river lies the Theban Necropolis, home to the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Queen Hatshepsut\u2019s spectacular mortuary temple and the towering figures of the Colossi of Memnon. Together, they make Luxor one of the world\u2019s richest archaeological landscapes and have earned it a reputation as the world\u2019s largest open-air museum. On Aug. 2, 2027, the moon\u2019s shadow will pass directly over monuments built more than 3,000 years ago by one of history\u2019s great sun-worshipping civilizations, creating what could become one of the most memorable eclipse experiences of the century.<\/p>\n Luxor stretches along the east bank of the Nile, where Luxor Temple remains among the greatest surviving monuments of the ancient world.<\/p>\n gettyAlternatives To Luxor<\/p>\n Luxor will deservedly attract most of the attention, but it may not be the best choice for everyone. Travelers hoping to avoid the largest crowds could consider Dendera Temple, north of Luxor, where totality lasts 6 minutes 15 seconds, or Bahariya Oasis, west of Cairo, which enjoys 6 minutes 19 seconds of totality beneath some of the clearest skies anywhere along the eclipse path. Other excellent options include Siwa Oasis, Abydos, Edfu and the Red Sea coast near Berenice. Although none offers Luxor\u2019s combination of history and spectacle, they may provide a more relaxed viewing experience while still delivering an extraordinary total solar eclipse.<\/p>\n Why The Eclipse Lasts So Long<\/p>\n The Aug. 2, 2027 eclipse belongs to Saros 136, a family of eclipses famous for producing exceptionally long totalities. Earlier members crossed Mexico in 1991 and China in 2009, while a future member will produce the much-anticipated U.S. total solar eclipse in 2045. Its exceptional duration results from near-perfect celestial geometry. The moon will be close to perigee, making it appear slightly larger than average, while Earth will be near aphelion, making the sun appear slightly smaller. Because the eclipse also occurs close to Earth\u2019s equator, observers remain inside the moon\u2019s shadow for more than six minutes.<\/p>\n Further ReadingForbes7 Spectacular Stargazing Events To See This SummerBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Forbes1,000 Days Until \u2018God Of Chaos\u2019 Asteroid Stuns SkywatchersBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Forbes7 Stargazing Accessories You Need This Summer \u2014 And When To Use ThemBy Jamie Carter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topline Ancient Egypt\u2019s former capital is about to become ground zero for the world\u2019s eclipse chasers. On Aug.…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1003994,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[24],"tags":[402011,362974,362981,402014,402012,402009,402013,402016,159,783,402010,67,132,68,402015],"class_list":["post-1003993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-aug-2-2027-eclipse","tag-eclipse-of-the-century","tag-egypt-eclipse","tag-karnak-temple","tag-longest-total-solar-eclipse","tag-luxor-eclipse","tag-luxor-temple","tag-path-of-totality","tag-science","tag-space","tag-total-solar-eclipse-2027","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-valley-of-the-kings"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/117103999484049489","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1003993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1003993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1003993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1003994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1003993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1003993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1003993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}