PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSECape Town, South AfricaSunday 24 October 2060 · times in UTC+2
53.9%
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 3h 08m. All times are local, in UTC+2.
09:52 MAX 11:23 13:01
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| First contactthe Moon touches the Sun's edge | 09:52 | 48° ENE |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 11:23 | 63° NE |
| Last contactthe Sun is whole again | 13:01 | 67° NNW |
03 · DIRECTION
Where do I look?
At maximum the Sun stands 63° above the horizon to the north-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 53.9% 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 1,291 km to the north-east of Cape Town and is 280 km wide. Only inside it is the Sun covered completely.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 05:53
- SUNSET
- 19:07
- DAY LENGTH
- 13h 15m
- CIVIL DUSK
- 19:34
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 53.9%
- COORDINATES
- 33.925° S, 18.424° E
- PATH WIDTH
- 280 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 2,027 km/h
- SAROS
- 144 · no. 27
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.6410
- GAMMA
- -0.2626
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.