For a few hours this Wednesday, the Moon will move directly between Earth and the Sun, creating a spectacular partial solar eclipse across Morocco.
And yes…
You will be able to see it from basically the entire country.
But here’s the important part:
Morocco is NOT inside the path of totality.
So don’t expect the Sun to completely disappear.
Instead, the Moon will cover a huge portion of it.
In Tangier, we’re talking about roughly 93% of the Sun being obscured at the maximum.
That’s seriously dramatic.
The eclipse begins in Morocco at around 6:44 PM, reaches its peak in the northern regions around 7:40 PM, and ends progressively across the country during the evening.
And the timing changes depending on where you are.
In Casablanca, the eclipse begins around 6:48 PM, reaches maximum around 7:43 PM, with approximately 89% of the Sun covered, and ends around 8:20 PM.
In Marrakech, it starts around 6:52 PM, peaks around 7:46 PM, with roughly 86% coverage, and ends around 8:18 PM.
And across Morocco as a whole, the partial eclipse is visible from roughly 6:44 PM to 8:40 PM, depending on your location.
So if you’re planning to watch it…
Get outside before sunset.
Find somewhere with a clear view of the western sky.
Because the Sun will already be relatively low on the horizon during the event.
And that creates an especially cinematic effect.
The light starts changing.
The Sun becomes a thin crescent.
The surroundings can become noticeably darker.
And for a moment…
It can feel like somebody is slowly turning down the brightness of the entire country.
But now comes the most important part.
DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN.
Not with your phone camera.
Not with sunglasses.
Not through binoculars.
Not through a regular camera.
And definitely not with your naked eyes.
Even if 90% of the Sun is covered…
The remaining sunlight is still powerful enough to cause permanent retinal damage.
Because Morocco only sees a partial eclipse, there is no moment when it becomes safe to look directly at the Sun without proper protection.
If you’re watching it directly, use proper solar eclipse glasses compliant with ISO 12312-2 or another certified solar viewing filter.
And here’s another important detail for anyone planning to film it.
Your smartphone isn’t designed to safely protect your eyes.
If you’re going to photograph the eclipse, use appropriate solar filtration and don’t stare through an unfiltered optical device.
Basically…
Don’t sacrifice your eyesight for a TikTok.
Now, here’s why tonight’s event is particularly exciting.
The eclipse is total somewhere else on Earth.
The path of totality crosses parts of the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain.
That’s where observers can experience the truly insane version of a solar eclipse:
The Sun completely disappears.
The sky turns dramatically darker.
And the solar corona becomes visible around the Moon.
Morocco doesn’t get that experience this time.
But we still get a spectacular partial eclipse.
And for many people…
This could be the kind of astronomical event you remember for years.
Especially because the next major eclipse opportunities won’t necessarily look the same from Morocco.
So tonight…
Forget the TikTok for a second.
Forget the filters.
Go outside.
Find a clear horizon.
Get the proper glasses.
And watch the Moon slowly eat away at the Sun.
Because for roughly an hour and a half…
the Moroccan sky is going to look completely different.
And that’s pretty wild when you think about it.
No special effects.
No AI.
No CGI.
Just the Moon…
The Sun…
And perfect cosmic timing.
The real question is…
Are you going to watch the eclipse through your phone screen… or actually put the phone down and watch the universe put on the show?
