TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSEBordeaux, FranceWednesday 5 November 2059 · times in CET (UTC+1)
5m 18s
OF TOTAL DARKNESS
The Moon crosses the centre of the Sun but is too far away to cover it, so a complete ring of sunlight remains. It never goes dark and it is never safe to look without a filter.
When the filter comes off →86.4% COVERED SUN 7° UP 69 km OFF CENTRE
02 · TIMING
When does it happen?
The whole eclipse runs 2h 28m. All times are local, in CET.
07:23 MAX 08:33 09:51
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| SUNSET 17:45 NOTHING BELOW THIS LINE IS VISIBLE | ||
| First contacthappens after the Sun has set | 07:23 | BELOW HORIZON5° under |
| Totality beginsfilters off — the corona | 08:30 | — |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 08:33 | 7° ESE |
| Totality endsfilters back on, immediately | 08:36 | — |
| Last contactthe Sun is whole again | 09:51 | 18° SE |
03 · DIRECTION
Where do I look?
At maximum the Sun is just 7° above the horizon to the south-east. You will need a clear, flat horizon — over water, or from high ground.
The Sun's height and bearing at maximum, from Bordeaux. The horizon is at 0°.
THE EXPERIENCE
What it will actually be like
At maximum the Moon sits wholly inside the Sun's disc and leaves a complete ring of sunlight. There is no corona and no darkness — the remaining ring is still far too bright to look at — but the light goes strange and flat, and shadows sharpen.
SAFETY
Looking at it without hurting yourself
Keep a certified solar filter on for every part of the eclipse except totality itself. During totality, and only then, it is safe to look with the naked eye — and the filter must go back on the instant the Sun reappears.
Sunglasses, smoked glass, exposed film and phone screens are not filters. If you can see anything else through it, it is not dark enough.
04 · POSITION
Should I travel?
Bordeaux lies inside the path, 69 km from its centre line. The path is 276 km wide here.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 07:45
- SUNSET
- 17:45
- DAY LENGTH
- 10h 00m
- CIVIL DUSK
- 18:16
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 86.4%
- COORDINATES
- 44.838° N, 0.579° W
- PATH WIDTH
- 276 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 1,877 km/h
- SAROS
- 134 · no. 43
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.9593
- GAMMA
- 0.4454
Contact times are accurate to a couple of seconds at the coordinates above. Altitudes are geometric — unrefracted, on the WGS 84 ellipsoid.
NEXT FROM BORDEAUX
What else is coming here?
The rest of what the sky over Bordeaux has coming, soonest first.