Rare solar eclipse to plunge NZ city into darkness

Dunedin, New Zealand, is preparing to host a total solar eclipse on July 22, 2028, an event not seen in the city for more than 850 years. The celestial spectacle will occur at 4:17 PM, with the moon obscuring the sun and creating a band of darkness approximately 100km wide across southern New Zealand. This band will include popular tourist destinations like Queenstown and the city of Dunedin.

For a duration of 2 minutes and 51 seconds, areas within this band will experience daytime darkness. This rare occurrence is driving significant interest, with hotels in Dunedin already fully booked for packages related to the eclipse, two years ahead of the event. This marks the first total solar eclipse visible in all of New Zealand since 1965.

Astronomer Dr. Ian Griffin highlighted the historical significance, noting that the last eclipse visible from Dunedin was in 1163, predating human settlement in New Zealand. He anticipates the event will be "quite exciting" for those who witness it. The city is planning a "night-sky festival" aligned with Matariki, the Māori new year, making the eclipse a unique global cultural and astronomical gathering.

Dunedin anticipates a substantial tourism boost, with an estimated 35,000 visitors expected to descend upon the city, which has a resident population of 130,000. Mayor Sophie Barker expressed the city's excitement, describing the eclipse as a "remarkable event" on the horizon.