Upcoming solar and lunar eclipses with live countdowns, visibility details, and links to NASA interactive maps.
An eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align. In a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on our planet. In a lunar eclipse, Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface.
Solar eclipses only happen during a new moon, when the Moon is directly between the Sun and Earth. They are rare at any given location because the Moon's shadow is narrow, sweeping a path just 100–250 km wide across the planet. Never look directly at a solar eclipse without certified eclipse glasses or a solar filter.
Lunar eclipses happen during a full moon, when Earth sits between the Sun and Moon. Unlike solar eclipses, they are visible from anywhere on the night side of Earth and are perfectly safe to watch with the naked eye. A total lunar eclipse can turn the Moon a dramatic red — the famous “Blood Moon” effect caused by Earth's atmosphere bending sunlight into the shadow.
Eclipses have captivated and terrified humanity for thousands of years. In ancient China, people believed a celestial dragon was devouring the Sun during a solar eclipse — villagers would bang drums and shoot arrows skyward to scare the creature away. The Babylonians were among the first to bring science to the spectacle, discovering the Saros cycle around the sixth century BC: a roughly 18-year, 11-day pattern that allowed them to predict when eclipses would recur with surprising accuracy.
The Greek philosopher Thales is famously credited with predicting the solar eclipse of May 28, 585 BC — an event that, according to the historian Herodotus, halted a battle between the Lydians and the Medes. Whether or not Thales truly predicted the eclipse, the story illustrates how deeply these events shaped the course of history. Eclipses were omens, calendar markers, and eventually, scientific instruments.
The most celebrated scientific eclipse may be the total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919. British astronomer Arthur Eddington traveled to the island of Príncipe off the coast of Africa to photograph stars near the eclipsed Sun. His measurements confirmed that starlight bent around the Sun exactly as Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity predicted — making Einstein an overnight celebrity and reshaping our understanding of gravity and space-time.
Today, eclipse chasing is a global subculture. Tens of thousands of enthusiasts travel the world to stand in the narrow path of totality, trading tips on weather, gear, and the best viewing sites. The emotional impact of witnessing totality — the sudden darkness, the appearance of the solar corona, the drop in temperature — is something eclipse veterans describe as life-changing. Many chase eclipse after eclipse, traveling to remote corners of the planet for just a few minutes of awe.
Never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection, even during a partial eclipse. The Sun's intense radiation can cause solar retinopathy — permanent damage to the retina — in just seconds. Ordinary sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe. You need certified eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard, which filter out 99.999% of sunlight.
If you don't have eclipse glasses, a pinhole projector is a safe and easy alternative. Poke a small hole in a piece of cardboard, hold it up to the Sun, and let the light project onto a flat surface behind it. You'll see a small image of the eclipsed Sun without ever looking directly at it. This works beautifully for watching the partial phases before and after totality.
If you plan to photograph or observe through a camera, telescope, or binoculars, you must use a solar filter designed for the specific equipment. The concentrated sunlight passing through an unfiltered lens can damage your eyes instantly and destroy camera sensors. Filters should be attached to the front of the lens, not the eyepiece end.
There is exactly one exception: during the totality phase of a total solar eclipse only — when the Moon completely covers the Sun's bright disc — it is safe to look with the naked eye. This brief window, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to about seven minutes, reveals the Sun's ethereal corona. The moment any sliver of the Sun's surface reappears (the “diamond ring” effect), you must immediately look away or put your eclipse glasses back on. If you experience blurred vision, spots, or distorted colors after viewing an eclipse, seek medical attention promptly.
At first glance, eclipses and the aurora seem like completely different phenomena — one is a precise celestial alignment, the other a consequence of solar wind interacting with Earth's magnetosphere. But they share deep roots in solar-terrestrial science. Historically, total solar eclipses were the only way to study the Sun's corona, the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere and the birthplace of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Our understanding of CMEs — the primary drivers of strong aurora storms — grew directly from eclipse observations made over centuries.
There is also a practical tension between eclipse viewing and aurora chasing. Lunar eclipses occur during a full moon, which is the worst possible phase for aurora viewing — the bright moonlight washes out all but the strongest displays. Aurora chasers eagerly await the new moon for the darkest skies, while lunar eclipse watchers need the full moon to see the shadow play. If a strong geomagnetic storm happens to coincide with a lunar eclipse, you face an unusual choice: watch the Blood Moon, or hunt for the aurora in the moonlit sky.
Despite these differences, eclipse chasers and aurora chasers share many of the same skills: reading weather forecasts obsessively, scouting dark-sky locations, understanding light pollution, and being willing to travel at short notice. Both communities understand the value of patience, the frustration of clouds, and the profound reward of witnessing something that connects you to the larger mechanics of the solar system. Many dedicated sky watchers pursue both, letting the lunar calendar and the solar weather dashboard guide them to the right phenomenon on any given night.
Location is everything for a solar eclipse. The path of totality — the narrow band where the Moon completely covers the Sun — is typically only 100 to 250 kilometers wide. Being just a few kilometers outside this path means you see a partial eclipse, which is impressive but fundamentally different from the awe of totality. Use the NASA interactive maps linked on the eclipse cards above to find exactly where the path falls and plan your position accordingly.
Weather is your biggest variable. A single cloud can ruin an eclipse that took months to plan for. Experienced eclipse chasers study historical cloud-cover data for their chosen location and always have a backup plan — a second viewing site 100 kilometers away in a different weather zone. Arriving one to two days early gives you time to assess conditions and relocate if needed. Mobile eclipse watchers have been known to drive hundreds of kilometers on eclipse morning chasing a gap in the clouds.
Don't underestimate the emotional impact of totality. First-time viewers are often caught off guard by how powerful the experience is. The sky darkens in the middle of the day. Stars and planets appear. The horizon glows a strange 360-degree sunset orange. The Sun's corona — visible to the naked eye only during totality — is hauntingly beautiful. Animals go silent. Many people cry. It lasts only minutes, but the memory stays for a lifetime.
As you plan your trip, Solar Ruler can help with the broader picture. Check the live aurora globe if your eclipse trip takes you to high latitudes — you might catch aurora as a bonus during your travels. Our glossary covers eclipse-related terms like umbra, penumbra, and the Saros cycle, and the FAQ answers common questions about celestial events. Whether you are planning your first eclipse trip or your tenth, the key advice is the same: get in the path, have a weather plan, and be ready for something extraordinary.