PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSECape Town, South AfricaFriday 5 January 2057 · times in UTC+2
87.5%
OF THE SUN COVERED
A clear bite is taken out of the Sun. Daylight barely changes, so this is an eclipse you have to know about to notice.
The filter stays on the whole time →02 · TIMING
When does it happen?
The whole eclipse runs 2h 49m. All times are local, in UTC+2.
09:46 MAX 11:06 12:35
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| First contactthe Moon touches the Sun's edge | 09:46 | 48° E |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 11:06 | 64° ENE |
| Last contactthe Sun is whole again | 12:35 | 78° NNE |
03 · DIRECTION
Where do I look?
At maximum the Sun stands 64° above the horizon to the east — high enough to clear most buildings and trees.
The Sun's height and bearing at maximum, from Cape Town. The horizon is at 0°.
THE EXPERIENCE
What it will actually be like
A distinct bite is taken out of the Sun, reaching 87.5% at maximum. Daylight barely changes — the eye adapts far too well for that — so this is an eclipse you have to know about to notice. Use a filter; the remaining Sun is as dangerous as an uneclipsed one.
SAFETY
Looking at it without hurting yourself
A certified solar filter stays on for the whole eclipse. The Sun is never completely covered here, and what remains is as dangerous to look at as an uneclipsed Sun. Sunglasses are not a filter.
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?
The path passes 419 km to the south of Cape Town and is 99 km wide. Only inside it is the Sun covered completely.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 05:42
- SUNSET
- 20:01
- DAY LENGTH
- 14h 19m
- CIVIL DUSK
- 20:29
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 87.5%
- COORDINATES
- 33.925° S, 18.424° E
- PATH WIDTH
- 99 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 2,350 km/h
- SAROS
- 142 · no. 30
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.8957
- GAMMA
- -0.2838
Contact times are accurate to a couple of seconds at the coordinates above. Altitudes are geometric — unrefracted, on the WGS 84 ellipsoid.
NEXT FROM CAPE TOWN
What else is coming here?
The rest of what the sky over Cape Town has coming, soonest first.