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August 2, 2027 Total Solar Eclipse: Visibility and Safety
NASA's catalog lists a total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027 UT. Totality is visible across parts of southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; NASA's broad summary lists partial visibility in northern Maine, but no U.S. location is in the path of totality. Exact local visibility and timing require a location-specific eclipse map or calculator. Any direct view from the U.S. is partial and requires safe solar eye protection throughout.
Event date: Peak Aug 2
By The Star Window · Fact checked 2026-10-15 · Accountability and corrections
Where the 2027 total eclipse occurs
NASA's broad regional summary lists totality in southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The United States is outside the path of totality.
NASA's detailed catalog lists greatest eclipse at 10:07 UT, displayed to the minute, with the greatest-eclipse point at 25.5° N, 33.2° E. Those are global catalog circumstances, not a local U.S. observing time.
Sources: NASA: Eclipses During 2027 (global catalog), NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary)
What NASA lists for U.S. partial visibility
NASA's broad summary includes northern Maine among the regions with a partial eclipse. That wording does not establish visibility across all of Maine or elsewhere in the United States, and it is not a local path boundary.
Before making a plan, check an authoritative location-specific eclipse map or calculator for your coordinates, local contact times, Sun altitude and horizon. No city-level U.S. circumstances are supplied on this page.
Sources: NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary)
Confirm local circumstances
The NASA catalog's 10:07 UT greatest-eclipse marker is not a U.S. local appointment. Convert verified local circumstances to your time zone and confirm horizon access.
- Use an authoritative eclipse map or calculator with your observing location; broad regional visibility is not a local prediction.
- Confirm the Sun is above your horizon during the local eclipse phases.
- Check a short-range local daytime weather forecast near the event; eclipse geometry does not predict clouds.
Sources: NASA: Eclipses During 2027 (global catalog), NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary)
Weather and daytime viewing
Clouds can block some or all of an otherwise visible eclipse. Check local daytime conditions for the exact local event window rather than assuming that a broad forecast or regional eclipse map guarantees a view.
Sources: NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary)
Mandatory eye safety
For any partial phase, use safe solar-viewing glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer every time you look directly at the Sun. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe, no matter how dark they appear.
Never look at the Sun through binoculars, a telescope, camera lens or other optics without a special-purpose solar filter securely attached to the front of that instrument. Do not use eclipse glasses behind optics. A partial eclipse has no totality break in the eye-protection rule.
If using indirect projection, look only at the projected image and never through the pinhole. Follow NASA's current safety instructions.
Sources: NASA: Eclipse Viewing Safety
Safe and unsafe viewing methods
Swipe the table horizontally to view every column.
| Method | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Safe solar viewer | Use throughout any direct partial-solar viewing and inspect before use. |
| Ordinary sunglasses | Not safe for looking directly at the Sun. |
| Binoculars, telescope or camera | Use only with an appropriate solar filter securely mounted at the front of the device; never rely on eclipse glasses behind optics. |
| Indirect projection | View the projected solar image only; never look through the projection opening. |
Sources: NASA: Eclipse Viewing Safety
What this page does not establish
This guide does not calculate local eclipse circumstances or provide city-specific U.S. times, coverage, or Sun altitude. NASA's broad northern-Maine listing is not a guarantee for a particular location. Weather and the local horizon must also be checked.
Sources: NASA: Eclipses During 2027 (global catalog), NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary)
Earlier 2026 solar-eclipse guide
The previous guide covered August 12, 2026 Solar Eclipse: What U.S. Viewers Can See, a separate event that has passed. Its 2026 date and city examples do not describe the August 2027 eclipse.
Questions and answers
Will the United States see totality on August 2, 2027?
No. NASA's listed totality regions are abroad; its broad summary lists only partial visibility in northern Maine in the United States.
Is the eclipse visible everywhere in Maine or the United States?
This review supports only NASA's broad mention of northern Maine. It does not establish visibility statewide or elsewhere in the U.S. Check an authoritative location-specific eclipse map or calculator.
Is 10:07 UT the local maximum in the United States?
No. NASA displays 10:07 UT as the global greatest-eclipse time. It is not a local U.S. contact or maximum time; use a location-specific source for local circumstances.
Can I use regular sunglasses to view the partial eclipse?
No. Use safe solar-viewing glasses or a handheld solar viewer for direct viewing. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe.
Can I look through binoculars or a telescope while wearing eclipse glasses?
No. Never look through optics at the Sun while wearing eclipse glasses. The optical device needs a suitable solar filter securely attached at its front.
Do clouds cancel the eclipse?
No, but clouds can block your view. Check local daytime weather close to the event and confirm your location's local eclipse circumstances.
Is this a nighttime stargazing event?
No. This is a daytime solar event. Nighttime sky conditions do not establish local solar-eclipse visibility.
Sources
- NASA: Eclipses During 2027 (global catalog) (checked 2026-10-15)
- NASA: Future Eclipses (regional visibility summary) (checked 2026-10-15)
- NASA: Eclipse Viewing Safety (checked 2026-10-15)
- NASA: 2026 Solar Eclipse (historical reference) (checked 2026-07-26)