Total Solar Eclipses — Upcoming
A curated table of upcoming total solar eclipses from 2026 onward, sourced from Fred Espenak's predictions at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center — the canonical authority for eclipse prediction. All times are UTC. Durations are maximum totality at the point of greatest eclipse.
During the 21st century there will be 68 total solar eclipses. The longest possible duration for any total eclipse is 7 minutes 32 seconds.
⚠ IMMINENT: August 12, 2026 — 98 days away
Eclipse Table (Total Solar Eclipses, 2026–2045)
| Date | Max Duration | Path of Totality | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Aug 12 | 2m 18s | Russia (Arctic), Greenland, Iceland, Spain (mainland & Mallorca), N Africa | First total eclipse over mainland Spain in centuries |
| 2027 Aug 2 ⭐ | 6m 23s | Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt (Luxor, Aswan), Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia | Longest total eclipse of the 21st century — exceptional; centered over Luxor |
| 2028 Jul 22 | 5m 10s | Indian Ocean, W Australia, Sydney area, New Zealand | Major population center (Sydney) near centerline |
| 2030 Nov 25 | 3m 44s | Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, S Indian Ocean, SW Australia | Southern Africa totality corridor |
| 2033 Mar 30 | 2m 37s | Russia, Alaska (northern), Arctic Ocean | Rare Alaska totality |
| 2034 Mar 20 | 4m 9s | Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India (NE), China | Africa → Asia corridor; Mecca region |
| 2035 Sep 2 | 2m 54s | China, Japan (including Tokyo region), Pacific | Tokyo metropolitan area on centerline |
| 2037 Jul 13 | 3m 58s | S Australia, Tasmania, NZ, S Pacific | Southern Australia |
| 2038 Dec 26 | 2m 18s | W Australia, Pacific | |
| 2041 Apr 30 | 1m 51s | Atlantic Ocean | Oceanic — limited land visibility |
| 2042 Sep 23 | 5m 18s | Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Pacific islands | Major SE Asian population centers |
| 2044 Aug 23 | 2m 4s | Greenland, NW Canada (Montana, N Dakota) | First US totality since 2024 |
| 2045 Aug 12 ⭐ | 6m 6s | California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida, Caribbean, Venezuela, Brazil | Next major US total eclipse; second longest of century |
| 2046 Aug 2 | 4m 51s | Atlantic, S Africa, Madagascar, Indian Ocean |
The Crown Jewels
2027 August 2 — The Eclipse of a Lifetime
The centerline passes over Luxor, Egypt — the ancient astronomical and archaeological capital of the ancient world — during 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality. This is not merely the longest eclipse of the 21st century; it is the longest until 2150. The path runs west to east across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula in the height of summer. The site has been used for astronomical observation since at least 3000 BCE.
Viewing regions: Morocco (Agadir, Marrakech region), Algeria, Libya, Egypt (Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada area), Saudi Arabia (Mecca/Medina region), Yemen, Somalia.
2045 August 12 — The American Eclipse
Sweeps across the western and southern United States: northern California through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida. Duration up to 6 minutes 6 seconds — among the longest ever for US soil. The Caribbean and northern South America also see totality.
2026 August 12 — Coming in 98 Days
The most immediate opportunity. Centerline crosses mainland Spain — including Valencia and the Balearic Islands — making it highly accessible from Europe. Duration is modest (~2m 18s) but this is a straightforward trip for anyone in Western Europe.
Planning Notes
- Eye safety: Never look at the partial phases without certified eclipse glasses (ISO 12312-2). Totality only is safe for naked-eye viewing.
- Path width matters: The path of totality is typically only 100–200 km wide. Positioning within the centerline maximises duration.
- Weather: Clear skies are everything. Egypt (2027) and Australia (2028) offer excellent eclipse-weather odds. Spain (2026) is reliable in August.
- NASA eclipse maps: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov — interactive path maps for every eclipse
Connection to Aphelion
Total solar eclipses are moments when the solar-corona becomes visible to the naked eye — the only time most people ever see it. The CME history, the space-weather the Sun drives, the corona heating mystery that parker-solar-probe is investigating — all of this becomes directly visible during those few minutes. Eclipses are also the historical mechanism by which the Mercury proximity insight and Orion/Scorpius sky mechanics were first studied: the Babylonians tracked astronomical cycles precisely enough to predict eclipses centuries in advance (see babylonian-astronomy).