Solar Eclipse August 2: Will earth go dark for six minutes tomorrow? Here's what NASA says

Economic Times

01-08-2025

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Solar eclipses have always captured human imagination. From ancient omens to modern-day science, they remain one of the most closely watched celestial events. That fascination took a chaotic turn recently, when social media posts began circulating a false claim: that on 2 August 2025, the world would go completely dark during a total solar eclipse. Some even said this would be the last of its kind for a hundred years.
The posts spread quickly, prompting worry and speculation. But NASA swiftly stepped in to clarify: 'No total solar eclipse is scheduled for that date.' In fact, the rumour isn't just wrong — it confuses the year entirely.
NASA has confirmed that while solar eclipses are not unusual, a total eclipse will not occur on 2 August 2025.
Instead, there will be a partial solar eclipse on 21 September 2025. This kind of eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only part of the Sun. The result is a crescent-shaped Sun, not complete darkness. The agency explains that the partial eclipse will be visible only from certain parts of Africa, southern Asia, and Europe, and not from the Americas. As NASA puts it, 'Claiming that the entire Earth will be in darkness is scientifically impossible.'
The confusion seems to come from mixing up 2025 with 2 August 2027, the date of the next major total solar eclipse. And that one is worth the attention. Scientists and astronomers are already calling it the 'eclipse of the century.'The 2027 eclipse will last 6 minutes and 23 seconds, making it the longest land-visible total eclipse since 1991. For comparison, most total eclipses last between 2 and 4 minutes.This one's path will cut across 11 countries, stretching 9,462 miles across a 160-mile-wide band. Countries along this path include: Spain
Gibraltar
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
Libya
Egypt
Sudan
Saudi Arabia
Yemen
Somalia Outside this narrow strip, many regions will see a partial eclipse. Others will see nothing at all.Three specific astronomical conditions will combine to extend the eclipse's totality.First, Earth will be near aphelion, the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun. That makes the Sun appear smaller in the sky.Second, the Moon will be near perigee, its closest point to Earth. That makes the Moon appear slightly larger.Third, the eclipse's path lies close to the equator, where the Moon's shadow moves more slowly across Earth's surface. This slower shadow speed means the eclipse will last longer at each point along the path.The result? A rare alignment of conditions creating one of the longest eclipses of the century.A total solar eclipse unfolds in stages.It starts when the Moon begins covering the Sun.As the totality phase hits, the Sun is fully blocked, and daylight fades into sudden darkness. Temperatures can drop, and wildlife often reacts as if it's night.Then, as the Moon moves on, the Sun re-emerges.During totality, the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, becomes visible, glowing around the dark disc of the Moon. This is when skywatchers may spot bright stars and planets in broad daylight. The 'diamond ring' effect and Baily's beads, flashes of sunlight through the Moon's valleys, mark the transition points into and out of totality.While there's no full eclipse in 2025, there are several notable events coming up: 21 September 2025: Partial eclipse visible from Africa, southern Asia, and Europe
17 February 2026: Annular eclipse visible from Antarctica and parts of the southern oceans
12 August 2026: Total eclipse visible from Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and parts of Portugal
2 August 2027: Total eclipse visible from multiple countries across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far to completely block the Sun, leaving a ring of light. A hybrid eclipse, which is rare, appears as total in some areas and annular in others.Eclipses are more than spectacles. They allow researchers to study parts of the Sun that are usually hidden. The corona, magnetic fields, and solar activity can all be observed clearly during totality.As NASA explains, 'They let scientists study the Sun's corona, test Einstein's theories, and improve space weather research.'For science teams, it's a fleeting but vital opportunity to collect data. And for the rest of us, it's a chance to experience something that feels both ancient and immediate.Whether it's a partial or total eclipse, eye safety is crucial. Never look directly at the Sun without proper protection.
Use certified solar viewing glasses or handheld eclipse viewers that meet ISO 12312-2 standards.
During totality only, it's safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye — but only within the eclipse path, and only for those few minutes. To get the most from the experience: Check local times using NASA's website
Find a clear viewing location with open skies
Plan ahead — eclipse events often draw large crowds Consider capturing photos or video, but don't forget to take it in with your own eyes tooSolar eclipses are rare, but they're not rare enough to send the world into panic. The viral claims about August 2025 are false. NASA has made that clear. The real event, the one that will genuinely be historic, comes two years later on 2 August 2027.For now, skip the rumours and mark your calendars. The shadow is coming, but not just yet.