August 2, 2027 Solar Eclipse: Exact Times in Luxor, Minute by Minute

Sequence of solar eclipse phases arcing across the sky above Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt — From first contact to the last sliver of shadow, the eclipse over Luxor lasts almost three hours.

The short answer: On Monday, 2 August 2027, the partial eclipse begins in Luxor at about 11:40 local time. Totality runs from about 13:02 to 13:08, with maximum eclipse at about 13:05, and the partial eclipse ends at about 14:26. Egypt is on summer time in August, so these times are UTC+3.

If you are planning to watch the "eclipse of the century" from Luxor, these are the times that shape your whole day. Below you'll find the full timeline, what happens at each stage, how the times compare in other parts of Egypt, and what the same moments are in New York, Los Angeles and London.

Eclipse Timeline in Luxor

Contact	Luxor time (UTC+3)	UTC	What you'll see
First contact (C1)	about 11:40	about 08:40	The Moon begins to cover the Sun. Glasses on.
Second contact (C2)	about 13:02	about 10:02	Diamond ring, then totality. Glasses off.
Maximum eclipse	about 13:05	about 10:05	The middle of totality. Corona at its fullest.
Third contact (C3)	about 13:08	about 10:08	Second diamond ring. Glasses back on at once.
Fourth contact (C4)	about 14:26	about 11:26	The Moon leaves the Sun. The eclipse is over.

Times are rounded to the minute and vary by a few seconds depending on exactly where in Luxor you stand. Totality in Luxor lasts just over six minutes. For contact times to the second at a specific spot, use timeanddate.com.

The simplest way to be in Luxor at 13:02 on 2 August

Our 6-day Luxor & Hurghada eclipse trip, from $3,999 per person, runs 30 July to 4 August 2027 and includes a seat in our VIP air-conditioned viewing lounge for eclipse day in Luxor.

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What Happens at Each Stage

First contact (about 11:40)

At first you'll notice almost nothing: a tiny notch appears on one edge of the Sun, visible only through eclipse glasses. Over the next hour and twenty minutes, the Moon slowly covers more and more of the Sun. Look at the dappled light under a palm tree during this phase: the gaps between the leaves act like pinhole cameras and project hundreds of small crescents onto the ground.

Crescent-shaped patches of sunlight under palm trees during the partial solar eclipse in Luxor, Egypt — During the partial phase, the gaps between palm leaves project tiny eclipse crescents onto the ground.

In the last 15 to 20 minutes before totality, things change quickly. The light takes on a strange, metallic quality, shadows look unusually sharp, and the air can feel noticeably cooler. Birds may go quiet.

Diamond ring and Baily's beads (just before 13:02)

In the final seconds, the last bits of sunlight shine through valleys on the Moon's edge as a string of bright points, known as Baily's beads. Then a single point remains, blazing next to the first glimpse of the corona: the diamond ring. Many watchers see the Moon's shadow racing toward them across the landscape in these last moments.

The Moon's dark shadow sweeping across the desert hills of Luxor's West Bank moments before totality — Just before totality, the Moon's shadow can be seen moving across the landscape.

Totality (about 13:02 to 13:08)

When the diamond ring disappears, it is safe to take your glasses off and look. The sky turns a deep twilight blue, the Sun's pearly white corona spreads out around the black Moon, and you may see small pink prominences at its edge. Bright planets and stars appear in the middle of the day, and the horizon glows orange in every direction. Over six minutes gives you time to look properly, take a few photos and still just watch.

Third and fourth contact (about 13:08 to 14:26)

Totality ends as suddenly as it began, with a second diamond ring on the opposite edge of the Moon. Put your eclipse glasses back on immediately. Daylight returns within seconds, and the partial phases repeat in reverse until about 14:26, when the Moon finally moves clear of the Sun.

Times in Other Egyptian Cities

Not every popular Egyptian destination is in the path of totality. Outside the path, the Sun is never fully covered, so there is no totality at all, however high the percentage.

Place	Type	Totality (local time)
Luxor	Total, just over 6 min	about 13:02 to 13:08
Marsa Alam (Red Sea)	Total, about 5 min 26 s	about 13:08 to 13:14
Aswan	Partial only (about 99.8%)	no totality
Hurghada (Red Sea)	Partial only	no totality
Cairo and Giza	Partial only (about 94 to 95%)	no totality

Sources: Space.com for coverage and durations, Partirou for Marsa Alam contact times.

The difference between 99.8% and 100% is enormous. With even a sliver of Sun uncovered, the sky stays bright and the corona stays hidden. If you are staying in Aswan, Hurghada or Cairo, plan to travel into the path for eclipse day. For a full region-by-region guide, see our complete guide to the 2027 solar eclipse.

How Our Eclipse Day Runs

Travelers wearing certified solar eclipse glasses watching the partial eclipse from a shaded terrace in Luxor, Egypt — Watching the partial phases in the shade, with certified eclipse glasses.

Midday in Luxor in early August is one of the hottest times of the year, with temperatures that can pass 40°C (104°F), and the eclipse lasts close to three hours from start to finish. On our tours, the day is built around the timeline above:

08:00: early breakfast and a briefing from an astronomer on what you'll see and how to photograph it safely
10:00: private air-conditioned transfer to your reserved seat in our VIP viewing lounge, a private, air-conditioned 360° panoramic glass lounge with solar telescopes and food served all day
11:40: first contact, with certified eclipse glasses on
13:02: totality, glasses off for these minutes only, ending at about 13:08
14:26: the eclipse ends
15:00: back to your hotel or boat for a celebration lunch

Eclipse Times for US and UK Readers

If you are following from home, or planning travel around family calls, here is when the moment of maximum eclipse over Luxor (about 13:05 in Egypt, 10:05 UTC) falls in other time zones:

City	Time zone on 2 Aug 2027	Totality in Luxor (local time there)
London	BST (UTC+1)	about 11:02 to 11:08 a.m.
New York	EDT (UTC−4)	about 6:02 to 6:08 a.m.
Chicago	CDT (UTC−5)	about 5:02 to 5:08 a.m.
Los Angeles	PDT (UTC−7)	about 3:02 to 3:08 a.m.

These are the times totality happens in Luxor, not times you can see totality from those cities. The United States and the United Kingdom are both outside the path of totality.

Be in the shadow, not watching it on a screen

Our four Egypt eclipse itineraries run from 6 to 11 days, from $3,999 per person. Every one includes a seat in our VIP air-conditioned viewing lounge, certified eclipse glasses and an expert guide on eclipse day.

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FAQs

What time is the eclipse on 2 August 2027?

In Luxor, the partial eclipse starts at about 11:40, totality runs from about 13:02 to 13:08, and the eclipse ends at about 14:26, all in Egyptian local time (UTC+3).

How long is totality in Luxor?

Just over six minutes. The longest totality anywhere on the path, about 6 minutes 23 seconds, occurs just southeast of Luxor.

What time zone does Egypt use in August?

Egypt uses summer time in August, which is UTC+3. All the Luxor times in this guide are in that time zone.

Is the eclipse total in Cairo?

No. Cairo and Giza are outside the path of totality and see a partial eclipse of about 94 to 95%. To see totality, travel south to Luxor or another place inside the path.