On 2 August 2027 the Moon covers about a third of the Sun over Ireland
A partial eclipse, on a Monday morning. In Dublin it starts at 09:03, is deepest at 09:56 and is over by 10:51. In the south of Spain and across North Africa, the Sun is covered completely.
- Starts in Dublin
- 09:03
- Deepest
- 09:56
- Ends
- 10:51
- Sun covered
- 36%
Across Ireland
The further south you are the more of the Sun is covered: 41% in Cork, 30% in Derry. The Sun is well clear of the horizon, in the eastern half of the sky, throughout. Times are Irish summer time.
| Town | Starts | Deepest | Ends | Sun covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cork | 08:59 | 09:53 | 10:50 | 41% |
| Killarney | 08:59 | 09:53 | 10:49 | 40% |
| Waterford | 09:01 | 09:55 | 10:51 | 39% |
| Wexford | 09:01 | 09:55 | 10:52 | 39% |
| Kilkenny | 09:02 | 09:55 | 10:51 | 38% |
| Limerick | 09:01 | 09:54 | 10:50 | 38% |
| Galway | 09:02 | 09:54 | 10:49 | 36% |
| Dublin | 09:03 | 09:56 | 10:51 | 36% |
| Athlone | 09:03 | 09:55 | 10:50 | 35% |
| Dundalk | 09:05 | 09:56 | 10:51 | 34% |
| Sligo | 09:04 | 09:55 | 10:48 | 33% |
| Belfast | 09:06 | 09:57 | 10:50 | 32% |
| Letterkenny | 09:06 | 09:56 | 10:48 | 30% |
| Derry | 09:07 | 09:57 | 10:49 | 30% |
Where it is total
The path of totality runs from the Atlantic across the Strait of Gibraltar, along North Africa and over the Red Sea. It covers Tarifa, Cádiz, Málaga, Gibraltar, Tangier, Benghazi, Luxor, Jeddah and Mecca, in Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Totality lasts longest near Luxor, at 6 minutes 23 seconds.
The nearest totality to Ireland is on the Costa de la Luz and the Costa del Sol, a short flight away, which is worth knowing before the summer's flights and hotels fill up.
Watching it safely
Never look at the Sun directly, even when most of it is covered. Sunglasses do not protect you, and neither does looking through a phone, camera or binoculars without a proper solar filter. Use eclipse glasses made to ISO 12312-2, or make a pinhole viewer: a small hole in a piece of card casts an image of the Sun, bite taken out, onto a second card held below it.
Questions
Will the 2027 eclipse be total in Ireland?
No. Ireland is outside the path of totality and sees a partial eclipse. The Moon covers between about 30% of the Sun in Derry and 41% in Cork.
What time is the eclipse in Dublin?
It starts at 09:03, is deepest at 09:56 and ends at 10:51, Irish time, on Monday 2 August 2027.
Where is the nearest place to see the total eclipse?
The southern tip of Spain. Tarifa, Cádiz, Málaga and Gibraltar are all inside the path of totality, as is Tangier across the strait.
How long does totality last?
Up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, near Luxor in Egypt, which makes it one of the longest total eclipses on land this century. In southern Spain it is shorter.
Is it safe to look at a partial eclipse?
Not with the naked eye, sunglasses or through a camera, phone or binoculars. Even with a third of the Sun covered, what is left is bright enough to damage your eyes. Use eclipse glasses made to the ISO 12312-2 standard, or project the Sun through a pinhole onto card.
Eclipse predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA's GSFC.
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