Solar eclipse will be longest for more than a century

For the second time in a year, a total eclipse of the sun is about to cross China. But unlike the moon's hard-to-reach shadow path last August, the celestial spectacle on Wednesday will darken major cities, densely populated countryside, and a vast expanse of tropical ocean.

And the eclipse itself will be a monster, with totality – when the sun is completely covered by the moon – lasting more than 6.6 minutes at maximum. That makes this the longest totality until 2132.

A total solar eclipse occurs once every year or two on average, but each is visible only from a narrow track covering less than 1 per cent of Earth's surface. The eclipse of 1 August 2008, was visible only from parts of the Arctic, Siberia, and central Asia. Nevertheless, thousands of enthusiasts travelled by land, air, and polar icebreaker for the chance to bask briefly in the silvery twilight glow of the sun's corona.