The 2027 total eclipse
Stargazing after the 2027 eclipse
A total eclipse can only happen at new moon, so the nights around 2 August 2027 are the darkest of the month: from about 29 July to 5 August the moon is a thin crescent or absent once the sky is fully dark. That makes eclipse week the best time of the year to add a night in the Western Desert, under one of the darkest skies within reach of Cairo, with the Milky Way overhead and the Perseid meteors already active. The Perseid peak, on the night of 12 to 13 August, has a bright moon until about 3 am, then two dark hours before dawn.
Dark skies
How dark each night is
| Night of | Moon lit | Moon below the horizon | Fully dark sky |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 July | About 5% | Sets before dark | About 21:25 to 05:05 |
| 2 August (eclipse day) | New moon | Up only by day | About 21:25 to 05:05 |
| 5 August | About 14% | Sets about 21:50 | About 21:20 to 05:05 |
| 12 to 13 August (Perseid peak) | About 82% | Sets about 02:50 | About 02:50 to 05:10 |
“Fully dark” is astronomical twilight: the sun more than 18° below the horizon. Times are close to these anywhere in the Western Desert and along the Nile.
Meteors
The Perseid meteor shower
The Perseids are active from about mid-July to late August, so you will see some in eclipse week, though far fewer than at the peak. The peak night in 2027 is 12 to 13 August. The moon is bright and up until about 3 am, so the best viewing that night is from moonset until dawn begins, a little after 5 am. Lie back, let your eyes adjust for twenty minutes, and look at the whole sky rather than one spot.
The desert
Where to go
- 1The White Desert. Chalk formations that glow under starlight, a classic overnight camp. The best-known rock formations are just inside the eclipse path.
- 2The Black Desert and Bahariya. Bahariya is inside the path with about six minutes of totality and among the clearest skies on the whole track: watch the eclipse and camp the same night.
- 3Siwa Oasis. Inside the path, remote and very dark, with its own desert camps. A long way from the Nile.
- 4On the Nile. A dahabiya moored at a quiet island is darker than a town, though not as dark as the desert.
See eclipse times for every place, including the oases, and planning the trip.
In August
A desert night in August
Desert days in August are extremely hot, but nights are far more comfortable, so arrive in the late afternoon and leave after breakfast. Go with a licensed operator and a 4x4: the desert needs permits and an experienced driver. Bring a red torch to keep your night vision, and a light layer for the hour before dawn. Camps usually provide mattresses and blankets under the open sky.
Asked often
Stargazing in eclipse week, answered
- Is the moon up during the 2027 eclipse week?
- Hardly. A solar eclipse always falls at new moon, so from about 29 July to 5 August 2027 the moon is a thin crescent or absent once the sky is fully dark.
- When do the Perseids peak in 2027?
- On the night of 12 to 13 August 2027. The moon is about 82 per cent lit and sets around 3 am in Egypt, so the best hours are from moonset to the start of dawn, a little after 5 am.
- Where is the best stargazing in Egypt?
- The Western Desert: the White Desert, the Black Desert near Bahariya and Siwa Oasis are far from city lights. Bahariya and Siwa are also inside the 2027 eclipse path.
- Can I combine the eclipse with a desert camping trip?
- Yes. Watch the eclipse at Bahariya, inside the path, and camp in the Black or White Desert the same night or the next, under a moonless sky.
