Phenomenon of July 22, 2028, could attract 35,000 visitors to Dunedin, where no total solar eclipse has been observed since 1163.
An unusual tourist movement has begun to take over the city of Dunedin, in the south of New Zealand.
Local hotels are already fully booked to witness the total solar eclipse of 2028, even with approximately two years in advance.
The phenomenon will occur on July 22, 2028, and it will be the first total solar eclipse visible in Dunedin in over 850 years.
-
Professor hides “secret code” in exam about the Industrial Revolution, AI follows the invisible order and 32 students submit absurd sentences with Madagascar
-
Amazon wants to launch 5,105 satellites to deliver internet directly to cell phones and challenge SpaceX in a competition that could change global telephony.
-
Amazon wants to launch 5,105 satellites to deliver internet directly to cell phones and challenge SpaceX in a competition that could change global telephony.
-
Study with 42,000 people states that social isolation is linked to heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, dementia, and a higher risk of death.
It is expected that approximately 35,000 tourists will travel to the city to observe the moment when the Moon will completely cover the Sun.
Dunedin has about 130,000 inhabitants. Therefore, the event could significantly increase the local population during that period.
Total solar eclipse will occur in the late afternoon
Scientific calculations indicate that the eclipse will reach its main point around 4:17 PM local time.
The Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun and project a wide shadow band over the south of New Zealand.
This area of totality will be approximately 100 kilometers wide and will include locations such as Queenstown and Dunedin.
The sky will become completely dark for about 2 minutes and 51 seconds in the regions positioned within this band.
Main information about the 2028 eclipse
- Date of the phenomenon: July 22, 2028;
- Approximate time: 4:17 PM;
- Duration of totality: 2 minutes and 51 seconds;
- Width of the shadow: about 100 kilometers;
- Expected audience in Dunedin: approximately 35,000 visitors.
Hotels already sell out packages to follow the phenomenon
The early demand for accommodation reveals the expected tourist dimension for the total solar eclipse.
The Dunedin Leisure Lodge, for example, announced that all reservations for the special package aimed at the event have been filled.
The program offered by the hotel even includes special glasses for the safe observation of the eclipse.
Reservations made so far in advance show how the phenomenon is already driving the region’s tourism sector.
Thousands of visitors are expected to seek rooms, transportation, and suitable locations to observe the totality.
Last total solar eclipse in Dunedin happened in 1163
Astronomer Ian Griffin, director of the Tūhura Otago Museum, explained that the last total solar eclipse visible in Dunedin occurred in 1163.
That phenomenon happened before the arrival of the first human inhabitants in New Zealand.
Griffin told the newspaper The Guardian that current residents will be the first people in the city to observe a total solar eclipse in that region.
The 2028 event will also be the first total solar eclipse observed in any part of New Zealand since 1965.
This historical interval further increases the anticipation of researchers, residents, and astronomy enthusiasts.
Museum starts official countdown
The Tūhura Otago Museum started a public countdown on July 22, 2026.
The date marked exactly two years until the total solar eclipse occurs.
The institution promoted an activity aimed at the local population and those interested in astronomical phenomena.
The eclipse will occur during the New Zealand winter, shortly after the Matariki celebrations, the Maori New Year.
This combination could further increase the flow of visitors during the period.
Dunedin prepares to welcome thousands of tourists
The mayor of Dunedin, Sophie Barker, stated that the anticipation for the event can already be felt in different areas of the city.
The early booking of hotels reinforces the impact the eclipse could have on local tourism.
Establishments and authorities will need to prepare to welcome thousands of people in a short period.
The most anticipated moment will occur when the Moon completely obscures the Sun and plunges the region into darkness.
For almost three minutes, residents and tourists will be able to observe a phenomenon that hasn’t happened in Dunedin since the Middle Ages.
The combination of historical rarity, duration of totality, and significant tourist activity makes the eclipse one of the most anticipated events in New Zealand.
Would you travel to another country and book a hotel two years in advance to witness a total solar eclipse? Share your opinion!
