Total solar eclipse of 2028 completely transforms a city

Major astronomical phenomena can have a huge impact on tourism. Hotels in Dunedin, New Zealand, are booked up to two years in advance of the total solar eclipse on July 22, 2028, the first such phenomenon visible in the region in more than 850 years. Authorities estimate that the city will welcome about 35,000 visitors, and preparations for the event have already begun, The Guardian reports. On July 22, 2028, at 4:17 p.m., the Moon will completely cover the Sun, casting a shadow about 100 kilometers wide across southern New Zealand. Areas such as Queenstown and Dunedin will be plunged into darkness for two minutes and 51 seconds. Interest in the phenomenon is already very high, although it is still two years away. Hotels in Dunedin are receiving a flood of bookings, and Dunedin Leisure Lodge has announced that it has already sold out its special eclipse package, which includes a pair of glasses for safe viewing.

• First total eclipse seen in the region in over eight centuries

According to astronomer Ian Griffin, director of the Tūhura Otago Museum, the last total eclipse visible in Dunedin was in 1163, before humans settled in New Zealand. "We will be the first people to see a total solar eclipse from this part of the world, which is incredibly exciting,” Griffin said. The 2028 event will also be the first total solar eclipse visible from anywhere in New Zealand since 1965. The astronomer said the nearly three minutes of darkness would be a memorable experience for those in attendance, weather permitting. Dunedin Museum has officially launched the countdown to the eclipse, billed as one of the city's biggest tourism events. The astronomical phenomenon will occur in the middle of the austral winter, shortly after Matariki, the Maori New Year celebration that marks the reappearance of the Pleiades star cluster in the sky. The city plans to hold a festival that will begin with Matariki and end with the total solar eclipse.