Viral Global Blackout Fact Check: No! The World Will Not Go Dark for Six Minutes on August 2, Say Experts
Viral Global Blackout Fact Check: No! The World Will Not Go Dark for Six Minutes on August 2, Say Experts
Viral claim about a global blackout caused by a “once-in-a-century” solar eclipse on August 2 is false; actual event will occur in 2027 and be visible only in select countries.
A widely shared social media claim suggesting that the world will experience complete darkness for nearly six minutes on August 2 due to a rare solar eclipse has been debunked by astronomers and fact-checkers.
The claim, which labels the event as a “once-in-a-century” eclipse, alleges that the moon will block out the sun entirely, plunging most parts of the world into darkness for up to 6 minutes and 22 seconds. However, this is not true.
According to Space.com, there is a rare and long total solar eclipse expected on August 2, 2027, but not in 2025. It will be the longest total solar eclipse on land in the 21st century, but only areas within the eclipse path will witness total darkness not the entire world.
The 2027 eclipse will be visible primarily across 11 countries, including Somalia, Libya, Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, and Sudan. Some regions in Africa, southern Asia, and Europe may see a partial eclipse, but not a blackout.
The last long eclipse occurred in 2024, when parts of North America, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico, experienced darkness for over four minutes. The next longer eclipse after 2027 will be in July 2114, nearly 87 years later not 100 years, as falsely claimed in the viral post.
Experts urge people to verify astronomical events with trusted sources before sharing exaggerated or incorrect information online.
