Solar eclipse · Monday, August 2, 2027
The 2027 total eclipse in Tarifa
In Tarifa, the Moon will cover the whole Sun for 4 min 41 s, from 10:44:59 to 10:49:41 (local time, CEST), with the Sun 38° up in the east. The eclipse starts at 09:40 and ends at 12:00.
- Starts
- 09:40, with the Sun at 25°
- Totality
- 10:44:59 – 10:49:41
- Length
- 4 min 41 s
- Ends
- 12:00, with the Sun at 53°
- Where to look
- East, 38° up
- Center line
- 36 km (22 mi) to the south
Where to set up
Tarifa is 36 km (22 mi) from the center line of the path, which runs to the south. There, at the same longitude, totality lasts 4 min 55 s; here, 4 min 41 s. The edge of the path is 84 km (52 mi) away: within the town, the duration barely changes from one neighborhood to another.
It’s one of the places in Spain with the longest totality: nowhere nearby gains more than a few seconds.
Tarifa is the southernmost point of mainland Europe and the town on the Spanish mainland with the longest totality. It will also be the most crowded: get there early, because there are only a few roads in and it fills up in August even without an eclipse. It’s a windy place: with a strong levante (easterly) there’s sand in the air and sometimes a cloud sitting over the Strait, so have a backup spot a few miles north, in La Janda.
What’s the weather usually like?
On the mornings from July 26 to August 9, 2006 to 2025, at eclipse time, the sky over Tarifa was clear (less than 20% cloud) on 62% of days and very cloudy (more than 70%) on 10%. There were low clouds or fog on 11% of mornings.
It’s among the places in the path with the fewest clear mornings (number 21 of 23): the Strait area gets more low cloud and levante (easterly wind) than the Malaga coast, the Bay of Cadiz and inland areas.
For a plan B with better skies, within 100 km (60 mi): Estepona (83% clear mornings, 3 min 39 s of totality), Jerez de la Frontera (81% clear mornings, 1 min 35 s of totality) and Rota (81% clear mornings, 2 min 14 s of totality). Check the forecast in the days before and decide the evening before.
Average cloud cover at 10 and 11 a.m. local time, from Copernicus’s ERA5 reanalysis, through the historical API of Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). It’s a grid cell about 25 km (15 mi) across: coastal fog may be more common than it shows.
Frequently asked questions
What time is the eclipse in Tarifa?
On the morning of August 2, 2027: it starts at 09:40, totality runs from 10:44:59 to 10:49:41 and it ends at 12:00, local time (CEST).
How long is totality in Tarifa?
4 min 41 s. On the center line, 36 km (22 mi) to the south, it reaches 4 min 55 s.
Is it usually clear in Tarifa in early August?
Over the last 20 years, at eclipse time, it was clear on 62% of mornings in those two weeks and very cloudy on 10%.
How do I watch it without hurting my eyes?
With certified eclipse glasses (ISO 12312-2) during the partial phases. Only during totality can you look without them, and they go back on as soon as the first flash of sunlight appears.
What a total eclipse is like, how to watch it safely and how to photograph it, on the 2027 eclipse page, with the map of the whole path and the times for every city.
Calculated with Astronomy Engine (MIT) for the center of town, at sea level. Times may be off by a few seconds.