Solar Eclipse Guide: Here’s Where The Next Ones Are — And The Best Places To See Them

 

The August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse from Idaho.

When is the next solar eclipse? Earlier today, a deep partial eclipse was seen from eastern Canada and northeastern U.S. — and in mid-morning from western Europe and northwest Africa. In parts of Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada, and northern Maine, U.S., a rare “double sunrise” was seen, with as much as 94% of the sun blocked by the moon. It was one of a slew of solar eclipses over the next few years, with a bevy of partial, total and “ring of fire” annular eclipses coming up. Here’s your ultimate guide to the upcoming solar eclipses — including when and where to get the best views.

Key Facts

The next solar eclipse will also be a partial solar eclipse. Occurring on Sept. 21, the maximum eclipse of 80% will take place in the Indian Ocean and peak close to Antarctica. From Stewart Island off New Zealand’s South Island, 73% of the sun will be blocked from the moon, while from its northeastern North Island — the first point on the mainland to see sunrise — a 61% eclipsed sun will be seen. Norfolk Island, an Australian island in the South Pacific Ocean, will see a 49% eclipsed sunrise, while Fiji will see 26%.

All solar eclipses in 2026, 2027 and 2028 will all be central, meaning they peak as either a total solar eclipse (during which it will get dark along a narrow path of totality) or an annular solar eclipse (during which a “ring of fire” will be seen around the moon, though only through eclipse glasses). The moon’s distance from Earth explains the different effect.

On Aug. 12, 2026, there will be a total solar eclipse for parts of Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Mainland Europe’s first totality since 1999 will last for a maximum of 2 minutes 18 seconds off Iceland, with eclipse chasers bound for cruises around the fjords of Greenland, Iceland and across northern Spain. The latter is most likely to have clear skies, but the sun will be very low in the sky, making sight-lines critical. North America will experience a slight partial solar eclipse during this event.

A “ring of fire” will be seen above Chile, Argentina and Uruguay for 7 minutes 51 seconds on Feb. 6, 2027. However, most of the path will be across the Atlantic Ocean. The event will end as a dramatic “ring of fire” sunset as seen from the coast of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin.

Rated as the “eclipse of the century,” on. Aug. 2, 2027, the longest remaining totality of the century — at 6 minutes 22 seconds — will be best seen in Luxor, Egypt, home to Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, and Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple. It will also be seen across southern Spain, northern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Saudi Arabia — including Mecca.

Jan. 26, 2028, will see Spain’s third central solar eclipse in just 532 days as a “ring of fire” hangs low in the sky close to sunset as seen from the country’s southern region, as well as Portugal and the northern tip of Morocco. Earlier in the day, it will have risen as a “ring of fire” for those in the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, northern Peru, northern Brazil and French Guiana.

Exactly one lunar year after the “eclipse of the century,” on July 22, 2028, a 5-minute 5-second totality will visit Australia and New Zealand, with Western Australia’s Kimberley coast and Bungle Bungles, and the Northern Territory’s Devil’s Marbles all key locations — though it will also be seen in Sydney Harbour in New South Wales. New Zealand’s South Island will also experience totality.

The Next Total Solar Eclipses In The U.s.

Alaska will see a 2-minute 37-second total solar eclipse on March 30, 2033. The next total solar eclipse for contiguous U.S. states will occur on Aug. 23, 2044, and be visible close to sunset in Montana and the Dakotas. However, Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada, will be where most eclipse chasers will likely travel to. One lunar year later, on Aug. 23, 2045, a total solar eclipse will be seen from 13 U.S. states, with totality peaking in Florida at over six minutes.

Key Background

The “Great North American Eclipse,” a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, was seen by an estimated 50 million people. During that event, a path of total 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide crossed North America from northern Mexico to south-eastern Canada via 15 U.S. States, with totality lasting up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds.