Matam to experience highest solar obscuration during August 2026 partial solar eclipse in Senegal
During the partial solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, Matam will experience the highest rate of solar obscuration in Senegal, with approximately 42% of the sun's disk masked. This is significantly higher than Ziguinchor at 32% and Dakar at 36%. This variation is due to the geometry of the phenomenon. The August 2026 eclipse is a total solar eclipse globally, with its path of totality crossing the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, before ending over North Africa, specifically Algeria and Tunisia. Senegal is located south of this path, meaning no region in the country will experience a total eclipse, only a partial one. The closer a location is to the central path of the moon's shadow, the greater the portion of the sun obscured. Matam, in the far northeast of Senegal, is the closest Senegalese locality to this path, while Ziguinchor, in the southwest, is the farthest, resulting in its lower obscuration rate. Northern and eastern localities like Matam 42%, Linguère 40%, and Saint-Louis 40.5% will have higher obscuration rates compared to western and southern areas such as Dakar 36.4%, Thiès 37.1%, and Ziguinchor 32.1%. Despite Matam having the highest obscuration, the difference with other regions is limited to 5 to 10 percentage points. Safety precautions remain the same across all regions: the sun, even partially obscured, should never be observed with the naked eye; only ISO 12312-2 certified glasses allow for safe viewing.
