He explained that on Monday, August 2, 2027, the moon's shadow will pass with remarkable accuracy over parts of the Arab world, with Jeddah at the heart of the path of totality, where the sun's disk completely disappear behind the moon for a few minutes, and daylight will turn into something resembling deep twilight.
The peak of the eclipse in the sky of Jeddah
He pointed out that the peak of the eclipse in the sky of Jeddah will last for approximately 5 minutes and 55 seconds, which is one of the longest periods available for observing a total eclipse during this century, giving the city’s residents and visitors an exceptional opportunity to follow the event in an experience that will not be repeated for many decades.
He added that the moment of completion will reveal unique visual phenomena that are only seen during a total eclipse , most notably the solar corona, which is the thin outer halo of the sun that appears as threads of light extending around the dark disk, in addition to the phenomena of Baily's beads and the diamond ring, which appear as a quick flash on the edge of the moon as a result of the irregular topography of its surface, before the scene is completed with total darkness for a few minutes.
Visual phenomenon to study
He stressed that this event is not only a dazzling visual phenomenon, but also represents scientific opportunity to study the sun's atmosphere in exceptional conditions that are only available during a total eclipse, making it a focus of attention for astronomers, amateurs and photographers from all over the world.
He stressed the importance of early preparation to follow the event, whether by preparing monitoring and photography tools, or using internationally approved eclipse glasses and filters to protect the eyes during the partial phases, warning of the dangers of looking directly at the sun without protective measures.
He predicted that Jeddah and its surroundings would become a global destination for astronomy enthusiasts, which necessitates early coordination of viewing sites and organization of accompanying events, in preparation for welcoming this unique cosmic event.
He concluded by emphasizing that the anticipated eclipse goes beyond being a passing astronomical phenomenon, forming an exceptional moment where science meets wonder, and the daytime sky is transformed into a rare cosmic stage.
