Astronomy Essentials

When is the next total solar eclipse? Find out here!

Posted by

and

April 9, 2024

Globe of Earth showing a narrow blue arced line from north of Siberia, over Greenland and into Spain. — The blue arc shows the path of the total solar eclipse for August 12, 2026. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

When is the next total solar eclipse?

Was witnessing the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse a life-changing event for you? Are you ready to become an eclipse chaser? Then you need to know when the next total solar eclipse is! Here’s a list of the upcoming total solar eclipses through 2050.

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will start in Northern Russia, circle the Arctic, and then sweep across Greenland, the western edge of Iceland (including Reykjavik) and Spain, including the Balearic Islands. At its longest, the eclipse will last two minutes and 18 seconds.

Give back to astronomy with a donation to EarthSky.org! Your gift will support educational resources that teach people of all ages about space exploration and the fascinating facts about our universe.

August 2, 2027

The following total solar eclipse is a little less than a year later but will last much longer, at six minutes and 23 seconds maximum. Spain will get to see totality again, though just the southern tip. Across the Mediterranean Sea, totality will sweep through the countries in Northern Africa, plus Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.

Globe of Earth showing Eastern Hemisphere, with narrow blue lane crossing Northern Africa, ending in the Indian Ocean. — The August 2, 2027, total solar eclipse will start in the Atlantic Ocean, sweep over Northern Africa and end in the Indian Ocean. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

July 22, 2028

Again, another total solar eclipse occurs a bit less than a year later. This is another long one, with a maximum duration of five minutes and 10 seconds. The path of totality begins in the Indian Ocean, cutting across Australia and southern New Zealand.

Globe of Earth with dark blue lane arcing from the Indian Ocean across Australia. — The total solar eclipse of July 22, 2028, will cross the continent of Australia and southern New Zealand. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

November 25, 2030

After a one-year drought, a total solar eclipse returns in late 2030, traveling across southern Africa, the Indian Ocean and part of Australia. At its longest, totality will last three minutes and 43 seconds.

Globe of Earth with blue lane crossing from southern Africa across the Indian Ocean into Australia. — The total solar eclipse of November 25, 2030, starts in the Atlantic off southern Africa, crosses the southern countries of Africa, zips across the Indian Ocean and into Australia. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

March 30, 2033

After another total solar eclipse drought, the next one finally returns to North America … but only to the far reaches of Alaska. The eastern tip of Russia will also see this eclipse. It’s a shorter eclipse, at two minutes and 37 seconds max.

Globe of Earth with blue arced stripe from Siberia, across northern Alaska, and near North Pole. — The total solar eclipse of March 30, 2033, crosses a small part of Russia and northwestern Alaska in early spring. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

March 20, 2034

Less than a year later, a total solar eclipse crosses Africa, the Middle East, India and China. This eclipse will be four minutes and nine seconds at its longest.

Globe of Earth with blue line crossing from Atlantic across Africa and ending in western China. — The total solar eclipse of March 20, 2034, crosses Africa and into the Middle East, then crosses northern India before ending in China. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

September 2, 2035

The 2035 total solar eclipse crosses some large cities, including Beijing in China, Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea), and Nagano and the northern suburbs of Tokyo in Japan. The maximum duration is two minutes and 54 seconds.

Earth globe with blue band from the China across the Korean peninsula and Japan over much over the Pacific. — The total solar eclipse of September 2, 2035, crosses China, North Korea, Japan and then much of the Pacific Ocean. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

July 13, 2037

Australia and New Zealand are the site of two total solar eclipses in a row. The first is a mid-winter eclipse in the Southern Hemisphere that will last, at its longest, three minutes and 58 seconds.

Globe of Earth with Australia and blue arc from west to east across Australia and New Zealand and into oceans. — The total solar eclipse of July 13, 2037, crosses Australia and New Zealand. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

December 26, 2038

For the second year in a row, Australia and New Zealand host a total solar eclipse. This one is a bit shorter, lasting two minutes and 18 seconds at the most.

Globe with blue line from Indian Ocean, across Australia and New Zealand, ending in Pacific Ocean. — The total solar eclipse of December 26, 2038, crosses Australia and New Zealand for the second year in a row. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

December 15, 2039

Then an eclipse sweeps across mostly barren Antarctica, though during its summer. This eclipse drops below two minutes, with its maximum duration being just one minute and 51 seconds.

Earth globe showing South America and Antarctica with blue arc across Antarctica near South Pole. — The total solar eclipse of December 15, 2039, crosses Antarctica. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

Total solar eclipses from 2041 to 2050

If you’re still looking for the next total solar eclipse to reach the lower 48 states, you’ll find it in the map below. The blue paths show total solar eclipses. (Red shows annular eclipses.) In 2044, a total solar eclipse touches Montana and North Dakota. And in 2045, a total solar eclipse crosses the United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Flat map of the globe with covered in red and blue arcs with dates. — View larger. | This map shows the total solar eclipses (blue) and annular eclipses (red) from 2041 to 2050. Image via Fred Espenak/ Eclipsewise.

Bottom line: When is the next total solar eclipse? If the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse gave you the bug for eclipse-chasing, you’ll want to know: Find out here!

Via Eclipsewise

Posted

April 9, 2024

in

Astronomy Essentials

Kelly Kizer Whitt

View Articles

About the Author:

Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives in Wisconsin.