PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSEGaborone, BotswanaThursday 2 August 2046 · times in UTC+2
96.5%
OF THE SUN COVERED
Almost all of the Sun goes. The light weakens and cools noticeably, shadows sharpen, and the temperature drops — but it does not get dark, and the remaining sliver is still blinding.
The filter stays on the whole time →02 · TIMING
When does it happen?
The whole eclipse runs 2h 52m. All times are local, in UTC+2.
11:32 MAX 13:01 14:23
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| First contactthe Moon touches the Sun's edge | 11:32 | 46° NNE |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 13:01 | 47° NNW |
| Last contactthe Sun is whole again | 14:23 | 38° NW |
03 · DIRECTION
Where do I look?
At maximum the Sun stands 47° above the horizon to the north — high enough to clear most buildings and trees.
The Sun's height and bearing at maximum, from Gaborone. The horizon is at 0°.
THE EXPERIENCE
What it will actually be like
With 96.5% of the Sun covered the light noticeably weakens and cools, shadows grow sharp-edged, and the temperature drops. Gaps between leaves project rows of crescents onto the ground. The Sun remains dangerous to look at throughout.
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 227 km to the north-east of Gaborone and is 187 km wide. Only inside it is the Sun covered completely.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 06:52
- SUNSET
- 17:53
- DAY LENGTH
- 11h 01m
- CIVIL DUSK
- 18:16
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 96.5%
- COORDINATES
- 24.628° S, 25.923° E
- PATH WIDTH
- 187 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 2,198 km/h
- SAROS
- 146 · no. 23
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.9636
- GAMMA
- -0.5350
Contact times are accurate to a couple of seconds at the coordinates above. Altitudes are geometric — unrefracted, on the WGS 84 ellipsoid.
NEXT FROM GABORONE
What else is coming here?
The rest of what the sky over Gaborone has coming, soonest first.