Topline
Did you see the total solar eclipse from Greenland, Iceland or Spain on Aug. 12? While it was glimpsed as a partial eclipse from the U.S., the next totality — when the moon entirely blocks the sun, it goes dark and the solar corona pops into view for a view minutes — won’t happen in the contiguous U.S. until Aug. 22, 2044, a dramatic totality up to 2 minutes 4 seconds will come to Greenland, northern Canada and the U.S. Here’s everything you need to know.
Key Facts
The last “Great North American Eclipse” was seen on April 8’s total solar eclipse when a path of totality — the moon’s dark central shadow — surged across Mexico, the U.S, and Canada.
On Aug. 23. 2044, a path of totality will rise in northwest Greenland with a totally eclipsed sunrise, then be seen across Canada’s Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, finishing as a totally eclipsed sunset in the U.S.
Only Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota will witness totality, with the rest of the U.S. seeing a partial eclipse.
Why the 2044 total solar eclipse will be very special
The view from the U.S. will be similar to what was seen in Spain on Aug. 12, when the eclipsed sun hung low above the western horizon just before setting. The two eclipses in 2026 and 2044 also come from the same repeating family of moon shadows, called Solar Saros 126, which produces a solar eclipse every 18 years, 11 days and 8 hours.
Totality will come to Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Calgary and Edmonton in Canada, as well as Glacier National Park and Medicine Rocks State Park in Montana and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
THE ‘Great American Eclipse’ OF 2045
Every 18 years, three total solar eclipses occur in just under two years. That’s exactly what is happening right now, with total solar eclipses on Aug. 12, 2026, Aug. 2, 2027, and July 22, 2028. The same will occur in 18 years, with total solar eclipses on Aug. 23, 2044, Aug. 12, 2045, and Aug. 2, 2046. Of particular interest is the 2045 event, which will see a path of totality go coast-to-coast across the U.S. over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, with totality lasting up to 6 minutes 6 seconds.
THE ‘ALASKA ECLIPSE’ OF 2033
Although the 2044 total solar eclipse will be the next one visible from the contiguous U.S., the next one for the continental U.S. will occur on March 30, 2033, in Alaska, when totality will last for up to 2 minutes and 37 seconds. St. Lawrence Island, Barrow (also known as Utqiagvik), Kotzebue, and Nome are all in the path of totality at peak time for viewing northern lights.
