Solar Eclipse 2027: Dates, Types, and Where to See
Solar Eclipse 2027: Two Eclipses, One Big Year
The solar eclipse 2027 calendar holds two events: an annular solar eclipse on February 6 and a total solar eclipse on August 2. There are no other solar eclipses in 2027, and there are no partial solar eclipses that stand alone. Every solar eclipse happens at a new moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, and the two eclipses of 2027 fall on the new moons of February 6 and August 2. The February eclipse is a ring of fire, with the Moon covering the center of the Sun and leaving a bright ring. The August eclipse is a total eclipse, with the Moon covering the Sun completely for up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, which is unusually long. The August eclipse is the headline event of the year for the whole world. The dates and times in this guide come from NASA's eclipse catalog, compiled by Fred Espenak at the Goddard Space Flight Center, and the zodiac positions were checked against the Swiss Ephemeris. Times are given in Universal Time and in Pacific Time, so you can plan around them wherever you live. A solar eclipse is a new moon with the volume turned up, and astrologers read it as a turning point, a moment when a situation that was already changing becomes impossible to ignore.
How a Solar Eclipse Works
A solar eclipse happens only at a new moon, when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun and the three bodies line up. The Moon's shadow falls on Earth, and anyone inside the shadow sees the Sun partly or fully covered. The shadow has two parts. The umbra is the dark central shadow, and anyone inside it sees a total eclipse. The penumbra is the lighter outer shadow, and anyone inside it sees a partial eclipse. An annular eclipse happens when the Moon is too far from Earth to cover the Sun completely, so a ring of sunlight remains visible around the Moon. A total eclipse happens when the Moon is close enough to cover the Sun completely, and the sky goes dark in the middle of the day. The Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun, so the three bodies do not line up every month. They line up only when the new moon falls near one of the two points where the orbits cross, which are called the nodes. That is why eclipses come in seasons, usually two or three times a year, and the lunar eclipse meaning page explains the Moon side of the same pattern. That is why 2027 has two solar eclipses and three lunar eclipses, for five eclipses in total. The Saros cycle is the pattern that repeats eclipses: a similar eclipse returns after about 18 years and 11 days. The February 6 eclipse belongs to Saros series 131, and the August 2 eclipse belongs to Saros series 136. Knowing the Saros does not change what you see, but it is a useful reminder that eclipses are not random. They follow a clockwork that astronomers have tracked for thousands of years.
February 6, 2027: The Annular Eclipse in Aquarius
The annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027, reaches greatest eclipse at 16:00 Universal Time, which is 8:00 in the morning in Pacific Time. The Sun and Moon stand at about 17 degrees 37 minutes of Aquarius at that moment. The eclipse has a magnitude of 0.928, which means the Moon covers about 93 percent of the Sun's diameter at the center of the path, and annularity lasts up to 7 minutes 51 seconds, which is long for an annular eclipse. The path of annularity crosses Chile and Argentina and then runs out across the Atlantic, and a partial eclipse is visible across much of South America, Antarctica, and western and southern Africa. The eclipse is not visible from the United States at all, and it is not visible from most of Europe. For readers in the United States, the February eclipse is a date to note rather than a sky to watch. Astrologically, the eclipse falls in Aquarius, which is the sign of friendship, groups, community, and long term goals. A solar eclipse in Aquarius tends to mark a turning point in a friendship, a group, or a goal. An eclipse rarely changes things on the night itself. It usually starts a process that plays out across the following weeks, so watch February and March for a shift in a friendship or a group commitment, and be ready to respond rather than react. The February eclipse falls three days before Mercury turns retrograde on February 9, and two weeks before the penumbral lunar eclipse on February 20, which makes February a dense month astrologically. The new moon in Aquarius on February 6 is the same event as the eclipse, because a solar eclipse always happens at a new moon, and it is a strong day to set an intention about friendship, community, or a long term goal, and to write it down where you can see it.
August 2, 2027: The Total Eclipse in Leo
The total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027, reaches greatest eclipse at 10:07 Universal Time, which is 3:07 in the morning in Pacific Time. The Sun and Moon stand at about 9 degrees 55 minutes of Leo at that moment. The eclipse has a magnitude of 1.079, which means the Moon covers the Sun completely with room to spare, and totality lasts up to 6 minutes 23 seconds, which is unusually long. The path of totality crosses southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia, and a partial eclipse is visible across most of Europe, much of Africa, the Middle East, western and southern Asia, eastern Canada, and northern Maine in the United States. The eclipse is sometimes called the Great African Eclipse, because the longest totality falls over Egypt, near Luxor, where the Sun is high in the sky and the weather is usually clear. For readers in the United States, the August eclipse is a partial eclipse at most, and only in northern Maine and eastern Canada, where the Sun rises partly covered. For readers in Europe, it is a substantial partial eclipse, with a large part of the Sun covered in Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. Astrologically, the eclipse falls in Leo, which is the sign of pride, creativity, romance, and self expression. A total eclipse in Leo tends to mark a turning point in how you present yourself, a creative project, or a love story. An eclipse rarely changes things on the night itself. It usually starts a process that unfolds over the following weeks and months, so August and September may bring a decision about the image you want to show, and you should be ready to act on it. The new moon in Leo on August 2 is the same event as the eclipse, and it is a strong day to set an intention about who you are becoming.
Where to See Each Eclipse
The February 6 annular eclipse is visible as a ring from parts of Chile and Argentina, including Patagonia, and then from the South Atlantic. A partial eclipse is visible across much of South America, including Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia, across Antarctica, and across western and southern Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. It is not visible from North America, most of Europe, or Asia. The August 2 total eclipse is visible as a total eclipse from southern Spain, including Cadiz and Malaga, from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. The longest totality, 6 minutes 23 seconds, falls over Egypt, near Luxor, where the path is about 258 kilometers wide. A partial eclipse is visible across most of Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Greece, across much of Africa, across the Middle East, across western and southern Asia, including India, and across eastern Canada and northern Maine in the United States. If you want to see totality, you need to be inside the path, and the path is narrow. If you are outside the path, you will see a partial eclipse, which is still worth watching with proper eye protection. Plan early: hotels in the path book out a year or more in advance for a major eclipse.
Safety: How to Watch Without Hurting Your Eyes
A solar eclipse is never safe to look at directly without proper eye protection, except during the brief total phase of a total eclipse, when the Sun is completely covered. The annular eclipse on February 6 never reaches totality, so there is no safe moment to look at it without protection. The total eclipse on August 2 is safe to look at without protection only during totality, when the Sun is completely covered, and only for as long as totality lasts. Before and after totality, you need protection. The safe options are eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard, a handheld solar viewer, or a telescope or binoculars fitted with a proper solar filter on the front. Sunglasses are not safe, even dark ones. A camera, a phone, or a telescope without a solar filter is not safe, and it can damage your eyes and your equipment. The simplest safe method is pinhole projection: poke a small hole in a piece of card, hold it in the Sun, and watch the image of the Sun on a second piece of card or on the ground. You can watch the whole eclipse this way without looking at the Sun at all. If you use eclipse glasses, check them for damage before you use them, and throw them away if they are scratched or torn. Children need supervision, because they may not understand why they should not look. The danger is real: looking at the Sun without protection can burn the retina, and the damage is painless at the time and permanent afterward. NASA's guidance is blunt, and it is right: except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection.
What Each Eclipse Means for Your Sign
Two eclipses, two signs, twelve houses each. The February 6 eclipse in Aquarius falls in the 1st house for Aquarius, 12th for Pisces, 11th for Aries, 10th for Taurus, 9th for Gemini, 8th for Cancer, 7th for Leo, 6th for Virgo, 5th for Libra, 4th for Scorpio, 3rd for Sagittarius, and 2nd for Capricorn. The August 2 eclipse in Leo falls in the 1st house for Leo, 12th for Virgo, 11th for Libra, 10th for Scorpio, 9th for Sagittarius, 8th for Capricorn, 7th for Aquarius, 6th for Pisces, 5th for Aries, 4th for Taurus, 3rd for Gemini, and 2nd for Cancer. Read the list by your own sign. Aries: February brings a change in a friendship or a group, and August brings a change in romance or a creative project. Taurus: February brings a change in career or reputation, and August brings a change in home or family. Gemini: February brings a change in travel or study, and August brings a change in communication or a sibling matter. Cancer: February brings a change in shared money, and August brings a change in income or values. Leo: February brings a change in partnership, and August brings a change in identity. Virgo: February brings a change in work or health, and August brings a change in rest or endings. Libra: February brings a change in romance or creativity, and August brings a change in friendship or a goal. Scorpio: February brings a change in home or family, and August brings a change in career or reputation. Sagittarius: February brings a change in communication, and August brings a change in travel or study. Capricorn: February brings a change in money or values, and August brings a change in shared resources. Aquarius: February brings a change in identity, and August brings a change in partnership. Pisces: February brings a change in rest or endings, and August brings a change in work or health. The house tells you where the turning point is likely to show up, and the sign tells you the flavor: Aquarius brings friendship and goals, Leo brings pride and creativity. The eclipse does not decide anything for you. It tends to coincide with a moment when a situation that was already changing becomes impossible to ignore. If a friendship, a romance, or a work arrangement has been drifting, the eclipse season from late July into mid August is often when the drift becomes a decision.
The Full 2027 Eclipse Picture
Mark two seasons on the calendar. The winter season runs February 6 to February 20: an annular solar eclipse in Aquarius on February 6, then a penumbral lunar eclipse in Virgo on February 20, two weeks later. The summer season runs July 18 to August 17: a penumbral lunar eclipse in Capricorn on July 18, a total solar eclipse in Leo on August 2, then a penumbral lunar eclipse in Aquarius on August 17, all across four weeks. Count them up and 2027 gives you five eclipses: two solar and three lunar. The three lunar eclipses are all penumbral, so the Moon only dims slightly. The July 18 one, at magnitude 0.001, is effectively invisible, and the February 20 and August 17 ones, at 0.927 and 0.546, are subtle. The full moon calendar 2027 lists the three full moons that coincide with the lunar eclipses. The next solar eclipse after August 2, 2027, is the annular eclipse on January 26, 2028, and the next total solar eclipse after August 2, 2027, is the total eclipse on July 22, 2028. If you miss the August 2027 eclipse, the next chance to see a total solar eclipse is less than a year away, but the next one with totality as long as 6 minutes 23 seconds is much further off. That is why eclipse chasers plan years in advance for August 2, 2027, and why it is worth marking on your calendar now.
Two eclipses, two signs, and one very long totality. February opens the year with a ring of fire, and August closes the summer with six minutes of darkness in the middle of the day. If an eclipse season raises a question you want a real reader to look at, open a live chat. First 3 minutes FREE — every time, for every reading, with all advisors.
Pull a One-Card Tarot reading and see which card speaks to what the eclipse is asking you to release.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many solar eclipses are there in 2027?
There are two solar eclipses in 2027: an annular solar eclipse on February 6 and a total solar eclipse on August 2. There are no other solar eclipses in 2027. There are also three lunar eclipses, all penumbral, on February 20, July 18, and August 17, for five eclipses in total.
When is the total solar eclipse in 2027?
The total solar eclipse falls on August 2, 2027, with greatest eclipse at 10:07 Universal Time and totality lasting up to 6 minutes 23 seconds. The route crosses southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. A partial eclipse shows up across most of Europe and northern Maine in the United States.
Can I see the August 2, 2027 solar eclipse from the United States?
Only as a partial eclipse, and only in northern Maine and eastern Canada, where the Sun rises partly covered. Neither solar eclipse of 2027 has a path of totality or annularity that reaches the United States. The February 6 annular eclipse is visible from parts of South America and Africa.
Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse?
No, not without proper eye protection, except during the brief total phase of a total eclipse when the Sun is completely covered. Use eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard, a handheld solar viewer, or pinhole projection. Sunglasses are not safe. The February 6 annular eclipse never reaches totality, so there is no safe moment to look at it without protection.
What sign is the August 2, 2027 solar eclipse in?
The total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027, falls in Leo, with the Sun and Moon at about 9 degrees 55 minutes of Leo. The February 6 annular eclipse falls in Aquarius, at about 17 degrees 37 minutes of Aquarius. A solar eclipse always falls at a new moon, so each eclipse coincides with the new moon in its sign.
Last updated: November 12, 2026
