Hotels in the New Zealand city of Dunedin are already booking out, even though the region’s first total solar eclipse in more than 850 years is still two years away.
At 4.17pm on 22 July 2028, the moon will pass directly in front of the sun. This will cast a shadowy band roughly 100km wide across parts of southern New Zealand. Everywhere inside that path, from the popular tourist town of Queenstown in the west to Dunedin city in the east, will experience complete daytime darkness for 2 minutes and 51 seconds.
Even though the event is two years out, hotels are already getting booking requests. The Dunedin Leisure Lodge, for example, was fully booked by Thursday for its special “solar eclipse package,” which even includes free eclipse glasses.
The last time Dunedin saw an eclipse was before humans arrived
Dr Ian Griffin, an astronomer and director of Tūhura Otago Museum, explained just how rare this event is. “The last one visible from Dunedin was in 1163, which was before humans reached New Zealand.”
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He added, “So we will be the first people in Dunedin ever to see a solar eclipse from this part of the world, which is quite exciting.”
This will also mark the first total solar eclipse seen anywhere in New Zealand since 1965.
Griffin described just how special those few minutes will be, saying, “That three minutes of darkness, if it’s clear, will be absolutely memorable for anybody who sees it.”
A major tourism event for the city
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On Wednesday, Dunedin’s museum officially started a two year countdown to the eclipse, an event expected to bring a big boost to local tourism. Around 35,000 visitors are expected to travel to the city, which currently has a population of about 130,000.
Griffin himself has actually been getting ready for this eclipse since 2013. He shared a fun detail about just how long he’s been planning for it, saying, “I did buy my house all those years ago based on the fact that you could see the eclipse from it.”
Timing with Matariki, the Māori new year
The eclipse will take place during the middle of New Zealand’s winter, shortly after the country celebrates Matariki, the Māori new year.
Matariki refers to a cluster of stars known elsewhere as the Pleiades. This constellation is visible in New Zealand’s skies for 11 months of the year but disappears for about a month during winter, reappearing again around the winter solstice.
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To mark the occasion, Dunedin is planning a night sky festival that will start with Matariki celebrations and run right through to the eclipse itself.
Griffin pointed out how special this combination is, saying, “It’s actually unique anywhere around the world.” He continued, “We’ve got the cultural holiday celebrating the night sky, and then will be following it about 10 days later with a fantastic eclipse.”
Excitement building across the city
Dunedin mayor Sophie Barker said the excitement is already spreading throughout the community. She said, “This remarkable event is now firmly on the horizon.”
FAQs
1.When and where will the eclipse happen?
On 22 July 2028 at 4.17pm, a total solar eclipse will be visible across southern New Zealand, including Queenstown and Dunedin, causing about 2 minutes and 51 seconds of complete darkness.
2.Why is this eclipse such a big deal?
Dunedin hasn’t seen a total solar eclipse since 1163, before humans even reached New Zealand, and it will be the first total solar eclipse anywhere in the country since 1965.
