Next solar eclipse: Wednesday, 12 August 2026

The next solar eclipse is a total solar eclipse with greatest eclipse at 17:45 UTC, in 75 days. Local visibility for major cities is listed below.

Eclipse details
Type:
Total solar eclipse
Date:
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Peak:
17:45 UTC
Greatest at:
65.22°, -25.25°

Local visibility in major cities

3of the largest world cities see this eclipse. Obscuration is the fraction of the sun’s disk covered at peak.

CityObscurationLocal peak
LondonUnited Kingdom91%19:13
MoscowRussia80%20:53
New York CityUnited States9%13:53
ShanghaiChinanot visible
BeijingChinanot visible
ShenzhenChinanot visible
GuangzhouChinanot visible
KinshasaCongo - Kinshasanot visible
IstanbulTürkiyenot visible
LagosNigerianot visible
Ho Chi Minh CityVietnamnot visible
ChengduChinanot visible
LahorePakistannot visible
MumbaiIndianot visible
São PauloBrazilnot visible
Mexico CityMexiconot visible
KarachiPakistannot visible
TianjinChinanot visible
DelhiIndianot visible
WuhanChinanot visible
DhakaBangladeshnot visible
SeoulSouth Koreanot visible
TokyoJapannot visible
DongguanChinanot visible

What to expect

A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow that crosses part of the Earth’s surface. Only people inside that shadow see the eclipse, and only those along the narrow central path (in total or annular eclipses) experience the full effect.

For everyone else inside the wider partial-shadow region, the sun appears with a curved bite taken out of it. The obscuration column above is the fraction of the sun’s disk that disappears at the deepest moment of the eclipse for that city.

Never look directly at the sun without certified eclipse glasses (ISO 12312-2). Even a 99% covered sun is still bright enough to cause permanent retinal damage in seconds.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next solar eclipse?

The exact date and time of the next solar eclipse is shown above, computed live with astronomy-engine. The table below shows local visibility for major cities.

What is the difference between a total, annular and partial eclipse?

A total eclipse blocks the sun entirely along a narrow central path. An annular eclipse leaves a bright ring of sun around the moon, because the moon is too far from Earth to cover the disk fully. A partial eclipse covers only part of the sun and can be seen from a much wider area.

How do I watch a solar eclipse safely?

Never look directly at the sun without proper protection. Use certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or a solar filter. Ordinary sunglasses, camera filters, exposed film and smoked glass are NOT safe. The only moment unprotected viewing is safe is during totality itself, while the sun is completely covered.

Can I see the eclipse from anywhere in the world?

No. Each solar eclipse is only visible from a specific portion of the Earth. The table above shows the maximum obscuration for major cities for this eclipse. Cities outside that list will not see anything.

How often do solar eclipses happen?

Earth gets between two and five solar eclipses every year. Most are partial. A total solar eclipse at any given spot on Earth is rare — roughly once every 375 years on average for the same location.