The total solar eclipse on Monday 2 August 2027 is partial from the UK. In London it begins at 09:04 BST, peaks at 10:00 with roughly two-fifths of the Sun covered, and ends at 10:59. Totality crosses southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East, lasting up to 6 minutes 23 seconds near Luxor in Egypt.

Astrologically, it is a new moon at 9°55′ Leo close to the Moon's south node, an eclipse traditionally linked with release. If 2 August 2027 falls near your birthday or a planned milestone, send us your question and I will suggest the reading that shows how closely it touches your chart.

Watching the August 2027 eclipse from the UK

Times across the country

The whole event fits into a single morning. From London, first contact is at 09:04 BST, maximum at 10:00 and the last bite leaves the Sun at 10:59. Further north the eclipse is slightly shorter: in Edinburgh it runs from about 09:11 to 10:52, again peaking around 10:00. Local timings differ by only a few minutes across England and Wales.

How much of the Sun disappears

Coverage is deepest in the south-west and fades towards the north. The Isles of Scilly see close to half of the Sun hidden, London about two-fifths, Glasgow a little over a quarter and Shetland only about a seventh. It will be noticeable, but daylight will not fail the way it does under totality.

Seeing it safely

Never look directly at the Sun, even when much of it is covered. Ordinary sunglasses, smoked glass and phone screens are not safe filters.

Certified eclipse glasses

Choose solar viewers marked ISO 12312-2, check them for scratches or damage, and buy from a reputable supplier well before the day.

Pinhole projection

Make a small hole in a piece of card, stand with your back to the Sun and let the image fall on a second sheet. A colander or the gaps between leaves will project dozens of tiny crescents.

Where the total solar eclipse of August 2027 can be seen

The Moon's full shadow, roughly 258 kilometres wide, makes landfall in southern Spain around Cádiz and Tarifa, passes Gibraltar and northern Morocco, then crosses Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, reaches Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the northern tip of Somalia, and finally heads out over the Indian Ocean. For travellers from the UK, southern Spain and Gibraltar are the closest places to stand in totality.

Totality lengthens from west to east, from about four and a half minutes at Tarifa to more than six minutes around Luxor. The reason is geometry: the Moon is close to its nearest point to Earth, so it looks large, while Earth is only a month past its farthest point from the Sun, so the Sun looks slightly small. That geometry gives it one of the longest totalities of the 21st century, which is why it has drawn so much attention.

What the eclipse means astrologically

In the tropical zodiac used by Western horoscopes, the Sun and Moon meet at 9°55′ Leo, within a couple of degrees of the south node. Eclipses close to the south node are traditionally read as endings and releases: something reaches its natural close so that energy can move on. Leo adds themes of self-expression, creativity, confidence and the wish to be seen for who you are.

In the sidereal zodiac used for Vedic readings, the same eclipse falls at about 16 degrees of Cancer, beside Ketu. Cancer brings the question home, to family, emotional security and the place you come from. Ketu signifies detachment and what has already been learned. Read together, the eclipse invites you to let go of a role or attachment that has quietly completed its purpose. It is not a forecast of sudden events.

Surya grahan customs in UK households

Many Hindu families observe customs around a solar eclipse, or Surya grahan, such as observing a sutak period beforehand, setting meals aside and praying while the eclipse is under way, and bathing afterwards. Practice varies widely between traditions and households, and many follow it only where the eclipse is visible. Because it is visible as a partial eclipse across the UK, families here who keep the custom may choose to observe it; your own priest or elders are the right guide on the details.

Questions to sit with around 2 August 2027

What am I ready to stop performing, even if it once earned approval?
Where has pride kept me in a role I have outgrown?
Which creative project deserves either full commitment or a kind ending?
What does emotional security mean to me now, rather than five years ago?

The eclipse tends to be felt more strongly if your birth chart has the Sun, Moon, ascendant or a personal planet within a few degrees of 10 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus or Scorpio in Western terms, or of 16 degrees of Cancer or Capricorn sidereally. Birthdays within a few days of 30 January, 30 April, 2 August or 2 November fall into that group.

Why an in-depth reading suits this eclipse

An eclipse becomes meaningful when it meets something already active in your life: a running dasha, a planet near the eclipse degree or a house tied to a decision you face. An In-Depth Reading gives sixty minutes to map the August 2027 eclipse onto your chart alongside the year's other transits, with room for long-term questions about career, relationships or direction. Our explanation of the Rahu–Ketu axis in your chart is useful background, since every eclipse falls near it, and the 2027 year-ahead reading guide shows how a full-year session is structured.

Frequently asked questions

Will the August 2027 eclipse be total in the UK?

No. The UK sees a partial eclipse only. The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK is not until 23 September 2090.

What time is the eclipse in London?

It starts at 09:04 BST on 2 August 2027, reaches its maximum at 10:00 and ends at 10:59. Elsewhere in the UK the times shift by a few minutes.

Is 2 August 2027 a good day for a wedding or launch?

Traditional muhurta practice generally avoids eclipse days for auspicious beginnings. If you are choosing dates around then, a lucky dates and times consultation will take the eclipse into account.

Is the eclipse a bad omen?

No. In a reflective approach to astrology, eclipses mark turning points to notice and work with, not events to fear.

If the 2 August 2027 eclipse sits close to your birthday or a decision you are facing, send us your question with your date, time and place of birth. I will let you know which reading would show how closely it touches your chart and help you use the moment well.