Topline
When is the next eclipse? Millions of people across Greenland, Iceland and Spain have just witnessed a spectacular total solar eclipse, with a small partial eclipse visible in the northeast U.S and Canada. It was the opening act in an extraordinary sequence of eclipses that will take eclipse chasers across four continents during the next decade. Total solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth about every 16 months, but no two are alike. Over the next decade, the moon’s shadow will sweep across southern Spain, North Africa, Australia, Alaska, Japan and beyond, offering travelers extraordinary opportunities to experience one of nature’s greatest spectacles. Here’s everything you need to know to become an eclipse chaser.
Key Facts
The next total solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027, will produce up to six minutes and 22 seconds of totality near Luxor, Egypt — the longest total solar eclipse visible from land between 1991 and 2114.
Australia hosts two total solar eclipses during the next decade, with Sydney among the highlights in 2028 and another crossing the continent in 2037 (and another in 2038).
Alaska becomes the next U.S. state to experience totality on March 30, 2033.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE Aug. 2, 2027: Spain, North Africa And The Middle East
Less than a year after today’s eclipse, the moon’s shadow returns to Spain before crossing Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. This is widely regarded as the headline eclipse of the decade, since it features the longest totality visible from land between 1991 and 2114. Southern Spain provides the easiest access from Europe, with Tarifa experiencing four minutes and 39 seconds of totality. Farther along the path, Luxor in Egypt will witness up to six minutes and 22 seconds of darkness as the eclipse passes over one of the world’s greatest archaeological landscapes, home to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple and the nearby Valley of the Kings.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE July 22, 2028: Australia And New Zealand
Australia takes center stage as totality sweeps across Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Sydney and the Blue Mountains before crossing the Outback. The eclipse then reaches New Zealand’s South Island, including Queenstown, Milford Sound and Dunedin. Maximum totality reaches five minutes and 10 seconds in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, where clear skies are expected.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE Nov. 25, 2030: Southern Africa And Australia
Beginning over Namibia’s dramatic Skeleton Coast, this eclipse crosses Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho before racing across the Indian Ocean to Australia. The combination of safari destinations, desert landscapes and an eclipse sunset finale across South Australia and Queensland makes this one of the decade’s most varied eclipse adventures.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE Nov. 14, 2031: Pacific Ocean
The decade’s most unusual eclipse occurs almost entirely at sea. This rare hybrid eclipse begins as an annular “ring of fire” eclipse, becomes total across a narrow corridor in the Pacific Ocean and then returns to annularity. For most observers, a dedicated eclipse cruise departing from Hawaii will likely be the only practical way to witness it.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE March 30, 2033: Alaska And Russia
The next total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. occurs in Alaska, where the moon’s shadow sweeps across Utqiagvik, Prudhoe Bay, Kotzebue and Nome shortly after sunrise. With a maximum totality of two minutes and 37 seconds and the aurora season at its peak close to the equinox, adventurous travelers could combine totality with a northern lights expedition in the Arctic Circle.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE March 20, 2034: Central Africa To Asia
Stretching across 13 countries and more than 109 million people, this eclipse begins in West Africa before crossing Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Standout destinations include Egypt’s Red Sea coast, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Persepolis in Iran and the dramatic Himalayan landscapes around Leh in northern India. Maximum totality reaches four minutes and nine seconds.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE Sept. 2, 2035: China, North Korea And Japan
East Asia hosts one of the decade’s most accessible eclipses as the path crosses northern China, North Korea and Japan. Jiaquan — site of the far-western Great Wall of China — lies in the path, as does Beijing, Pyongyang and areas north of Tokyo, making this an attractive eclipse for travelers combining astronomy with some of Asia’s great cultural destinations.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE July 13, 2037: Australia And New Zealand
Australia returns to the spotlight with another spectacular event crossing Western Australia, the Northern Territory’s Red Center, Queensland and Lord Howe Island before reaching New Zealand’s North Island. Highlights include the iconic Australian landmark of Uluru (Ayers Rock), Byron Bay and Tongariro National Park (including the Ngauruhoe volcano, which doubled as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings movies), with almost four minutes of totality available along the centerline.
When Is The Next Eclipse In The Contiguous U.S.?
The next total solar eclipse in the contiguous U.S. will occur on Aug. 22, 2044. At 281 miles (453 kilometers) wide on average, a very broad path of totality will travel from Greenland through Canada’s Northwest Territories (with maximum totality close to Great Bear Lake, at 2 minutes and 4 seconds), then Banff National Park, with an eclipsed sunset from Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota in the U.S.
