"The Longest Recorded Solar Eclipse in History: A Historical Timeline"

The longest recorded solar eclipse in history occurred on June 20, 1955, lasting 7 minutes and 8 seconds, visible from Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia. The longest eclipse in the future is predicted to be in 2186 at 7 minutes and 29 seconds. Factors affecting eclipse length include the orbits of the Earth and Moon, Earth's distance from the Sun, and the Moon's proximity to Earth. The upcoming North American eclipse is expected to have a maximum totality of 4 minutes 28 seconds in Mexico, longer than the 2017 eclipse.