Solar Eclipse: When Is the Next Solar Eclipse in 2025 and 2026? Dates, Path, Map & How to Watch Safely

 

The next solar eclipses are on March 29, 2025 (partial) and August 12, 2026 (total). See path maps, best viewing locations, what causes eclipses, how to watch safely, and what scientists are learning from these rare events. (Time and Date)

Overview: Solar Eclipse — When Is 2025? When Is 2026?

If you’re searching “solar eclipse when is 2025/2026,” here’s the short version:

• March 29, 2025 – A partial solar eclipse will sweep across parts of North America, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and northwestern Africa. No location will see totality; the Moon only covers part of the Sun. (Time and Date)
• August 12, 2026 – A total solar eclipse will cross the Arctic, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, and parts of Portugal. In this one, the Moon completely blocks the Sun for up to about 2 minutes 18 seconds along the path of totality. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

These two eclipses are the next major solar eclipses on the global calendar after the 2024 total solar eclipse in North America, and they are already driving travel plans, scientific campaigns, and public safety messaging from space agencies such as NASA and national observatories. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

Let’s break down what’s happening, where you can see it, how to view it without damaging your eyes, and why scientists care so much about these few minutes of darkness.

Upcoming Eclipse Maps and Visibility

March 29, 2025 Partial Solar Eclipse

On March 29, 2025, the Moon’s shadow will pass over the Atlantic and high northern latitudes. Because the Moon’s central dark shadow (the umbra) misses Earth entirely, no place on Earth experiences totality. Instead, observers see a partial eclipse, where the Moon appears to take a “bite” out of the Sun. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

Where it’s visible:

• Eastern Canada and Greenland will get some of the deepest coverage, with more than 80% of the Sun’s disk blocked in locations such as Newfoundland and parts of Baffin Island. (Wikipedia)
• Northeastern United States (especially New England) will see the eclipse at sunrise, already in progress, with the Sun partially covered as it comes up over the horizon. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)
• Iceland, the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, France, and much of Western and Central Europe will see a partial eclipse late morning local time, with around 20–40% of the Sun covered in places like Madrid, Paris, and London. Higher latitudes like Iceland and Norway get deeper coverage (over 60%–70% in Reykjavik). (Wikipedia)
• Northwest Africa, including Morocco, will also see a smaller but still noticeable “bite.” (Time and Date)

For timing, London, for example, will see maximum coverage around 11:03 GMT, with just over 30% of the Sun obscured. In Glasgow, Scotland, it’s closer to 42%. (The Scottish Sun)

August 12, 2026 Total Solar Eclipse

On August 12, 2026, we get the kind of event that inspires people to fly across the world: a total solar eclipse. During totality, the Moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun’s outer atmosphere (the corona) as a pale, ghostly halo. Day briefly turns into twilight. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

Path of totality (the narrow track where the eclipse is 100% total):

• The eclipse path begins over the Arctic and sweeps across eastern Greenland, then crosses western Iceland, then cuts across northern Spain (including parts of Asturias, Castile and León, the Basque Country, and Catalonia), and clips parts of Portugal. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)
• Observers inside this path can experience up to ~2 minutes 18 seconds of totality, depending on location. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)
• Outside the narrow totality track, a broad region — including most of Europe and parts of North America — will still see a partial eclipse on that date. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

Because Spain is in the path of totality, this 2026 eclipse is being promoted as one of the most accessible total eclipses for travelers in the mid-2020s. Tourism and scientific teams are already preparing for “eclipse tourism” in locations like northern Spain and Iceland. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

What Causes Solar Eclipses?

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun and casts its shadow onto Earth. To an observer on Earth, part (or all) of the Sun’s bright disk is blocked. (Wikipedia)

There are different types of solar eclipses, depending on geometry:

1. Partial Solar Eclipse

   • The Moon only blocks part of the Sun.

   • The darker, central umbra of the Moon’s shadow misses Earth, so we only stand in the lighter outer shadow (the penumbra).

   • Result: You see a “bite” out of the Sun.

   • Example: March 29, 2025. The Moon’s umbra never touches Earth, so nobody sees totality. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

2. Total Solar Eclipse

   • The Moon appears large enough in the sky to cover the entire Sun.

   • For a few minutes, the day turns to deep twilight, bright stars/planets become visible, temperatures can drop, and the Sun’s corona flares into view.

   • Example: August 12, 2026. People along the narrow track from Greenland to Spain will experience complete darkness at midday. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

3. Annular Solar Eclipse (“Ring of Fire”)

   • The Moon is slightly too far from Earth to fully cover the Sun; you see a bright ring of sunlight around the Moon.

   • There will be an annular eclipse on February 17, 2026, mainly visible from Antarctica, which shows the “ring of fire” effect. (The Washington Post)

These eclipses happen because the Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Usually the Moon passes a little above or below the Sun from our point of view. Only a few times a year does everything line up just right. That’s why solar eclipses are rare for any one location on Earth, and why people are willing to travel to stand in that tiny shadow path. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

What to Expect During the 2025 and 2026 Eclipses

Visual Experience in 2025 (Partial Eclipse)

If you’re in Europe, North Africa, Iceland, or northeastern North America on March 29, 2025, you’ll notice the Sun looks like it’s been bitten. The “bite” grows, peaks, and shrinks over roughly 1–2 hours depending on your location. For example, in Halifax, Canada, the event lasts more than an hour with over 80% coverage at maximum. (Wikipedia)

• Sky brightness: It will dim slightly, especially in places above 70% coverage, but it will not go night-dark.
• Shadows: You may see crescent-shaped Sun shadows under trees or through pinholes.
• Sunrise drama: In the northeastern U.S., the partially eclipsed Sun will rise already “chewed,” which is visually stunning for photographers (but still dangerous to look at directly without filters). (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

Visual Experience in 2026 (Total Eclipse)

If you travel into the path of totality on August 12, 2026 — for example, northern Spain or western Iceland — you’ll get the full phenomenon of totality:

• Daylight drops to twilight in seconds.
• Temperature can fall noticeably.
• Planets and bright stars become visible in daytime.
• The Sun’s corona (its outer atmosphere) becomes visible as a white, wispy halo around the black disk of the Moon.
• Crowd reaction: People often gasp, cheer, or cry. This is normal. Eclipse chasers refer to their first totality as life-changing. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

Outside totality, you’ll “only” see a partial eclipse. Even if 95% of the Sun is covered, you will not see the corona and it will not feel like night. That last 5% of sunlight is still blindingly bright. This is why being in (or out of) the path of totality is the difference between a neat astronomy event and something you remember forever. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

How to Safely Observe a Solar Eclipse

Looking directly at the Sun without proper protection can permanently damage your eyes. Space agencies and solar physicists repeat this every eclipse for a reason. (The Scottish Sun)

Follow these safety rules:

1. Use certified eclipse glasses

   • Real eclipse glasses meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for solar viewing.

   • Ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are NOT safe. (The Scottish Sun)

2. Use a handheld solar viewer or a properly filtered telescope/binoculars

   • Telescopes and binoculars concentrate sunlight. Never look through them unless they have a proper solar filter mounted on the front end (the Sun-facing side). (The Scottish Sun)

3. Try indirect viewing (pinhole projection)

   • You can project the Sun’s image through a tiny hole in cardboard onto a second surface. You look at the projection, not the Sun. NASA and other science agencies recommend this as a safe DIY method for schools and public events. (Time and Date)

4. During totality ONLY (2026 eclipse, in the path of totality):

   • When the Sun is 100% covered — and only then — it is briefly safe to look with the unaided eye. You can look directly at the eclipsed Sun and admire the corona.

   • The moment even a sliver of direct Sun reappears, put the eclipse glasses back on. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

5. Don’t trust damaged gear

   • If eclipse glasses are scratched, punctured, or more than a few years old from unknown suppliers, replace them. Counterfeit or unsafe viewers are a known problem around big eclipses. Major observatories and accredited science museums are safer sources. (The Scottish Sun)

Bonus tip for photographers:

• Never point a camera, phone, binoculars, drone camera, or telescope at the Sun without a proper solar filter. You can destroy the sensor (and your eyes if you’re looking through an optical viewfinder). Professional eclipse photographers use front-mounted solar filters and rehearse exposure changes ahead of time. (The Scottish Sun)

What Recent Science Has Learned From Solar Eclipses

Solar eclipses aren’t just Instagram moments. They’re mobile laboratories for heliophysics (the study of the Sun), Earth’s atmosphere, and even animal behavior.

1. The Solar Corona and Space Weather
   Total solar eclipses let scientists photograph the Sun’s corona — the super-hot, wispy outer atmosphere that extends millions of kilometers into space. The corona drives the solar wind and space weather, which can disturb GPS, satellites, radio communications, and power grids on Earth. During totality, astronomers can capture high-resolution coronal structures that are impossible to study from the ground at any other time because the Sun’s glare normally overwhelms them. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

   Each new eclipse gives updated coronal snapshots at a specific moment in the Sun’s 11-year magnetic cycle. Comparing coronas from 2024, 2026, 2027 and beyond helps researchers test models of solar magnetic fields and predict solar storms better. This has direct value for protecting satellites and electrical infrastructure. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

2. Temperature and Weather Response
   When totality sweeps over land, temperature can drop several degrees in just minutes. Meteorologists instrument eclipse paths to measure fast local changes in wind direction, boundary-layer turbulence, and humidity. These micro-weather shifts help improve fine-scale climate and atmospheric models, especially in regions (like Greenland and Iceland in 2026) where dense data is normally hard to collect. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

3. Animal and Human Behavior
   Animals often behave like it’s sunset: Birds may roost, insects may quiet down, nocturnal species may stir. People, meanwhile, tend to gasp, shout, and sometimes cry during totality — a well-documented psychological response to sudden daytime darkness. Field biologists and psychologists increasingly treat eclipses as controlled “instant nightfall” experiments to study behavior and sensory triggers. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

4. Citizen Science and Imaging Campaigns
   Because eclipses cover long distances, scientists organize distributed observation networks — basically thousands of coordinated amateurs and professionals spread along the path of totality. In 2026, expect global collaborations over Spain, Iceland, and Greenland to build continuous time-lapse movies of the corona and inner solar wind. These stitched data sets are invaluable for understanding how magnetic structures evolve over just a few minutes. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

5. Testing Instruments for Future Missions
   Eclipses are also used to test sensors for future solar probes and coronagraph-equipped telescopes. If a new camera, filter, or spectrograph performs well during totality, it can be greenlit for dedicated missions to study solar storms, auroras, and radiation hazards to astronauts. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

In short, every eclipse is a science sprint. Teams prepare for months to grab a few minutes of data that can sharpen our ability to forecast space weather and protect technology on Earth.

Why These Two Eclipses Matter

• March 29, 2025 is important because it’s a widely visible partial eclipse across populated regions like Europe, North Africa, and northeastern North America. That means schools, science centers, and the general public will be able to participate safely in daylight, turning it into a major global outreach moment even without totality. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)
• August 12, 2026 is important because it’s the next widely accessible total eclipse after 2024 for much of the Northern Hemisphere. Countries like Spain and Iceland, which are easy to reach for millions of travelers, sit right under the Moon’s umbra. That means extremely high public interest, surges in astro-tourism, and a huge opportunity for coordinated scientific observation. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

FAQ 1. When is the next solar eclipse after 2024?
The next major solar eclipse after 2024 is the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. It will be visible from parts of eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and northwestern Africa. (Time and Date)

FAQ 2. Will there be a total solar eclipse in 2025?
No. The March 29, 2025 eclipse is partial everywhere. No location on Earth experiences totality that day because the Moon’s central shadow (umbra) doesn’t touch Earth. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

FAQ 3. When is the total solar eclipse in 2026, and where can I see it?
The next total solar eclipse is August 12, 2026. Totality crosses eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, and parts of Portugal, lasting up to about 2 minutes 18 seconds depending on where you stand within the path. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

FAQ 4. Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse with my eyes?
It is never safe to look directly at the Sun without proper solar filters during the partial phases of any eclipse. You must use certified eclipse glasses, a handheld solar viewer, or indirect projection. The only exception is during totality itself — and only for observers located inside the narrow path of totality during an eclipse like August 12, 2026. The instant the bright Sun reappears, protection must go back on. (The Scottish Sun)

FAQ 5. Why are scientists so excited about eclipses?
Total solar eclipses let scientists directly image the Sun’s corona, track how solar magnetic fields shape the solar wind, and study sudden changes in Earth’s atmosphere and animal behavior. These data improve space-weather forecasting, which protects satellites, navigation, and power grids. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

Conclusion

The question “solar eclipse when is 2025/2026?” actually points to two very different experiences.

On March 29, 2025, huge parts of the Northern Hemisphere will witness a partial solar eclipse, seeing a dramatic bite taken out of the Sun at sunrise in northeastern North America and late morning across Europe, Iceland, Greenland, and North Africa. It will be a safe, teachable moment — provided you use real solar filters — and an unforgettable chance to watch orbital mechanics happen live. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will carve a narrow path from the Arctic through Greenland, Iceland, and into northern Spain and Portugal. In that thin band, daylight will briefly turn to twilight, the corona will blaze into view, and the air will cool. For scientists, it’s a goldmine. For travelers, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime sky event. (NSO - National Solar Observatory)

If you want the “full eclipse effect” — the sudden darkness, the visible corona, the emotional shock — plan for August 12, 2026 and put yourself inside the path of totality. If you want a widely visible, classroom-friendly moment, circle March 29, 2025. Either way, respect eye safety, support reputable science outreach, and enjoy watching the Earth-Moon-Sun dance that has fascinated humans for thousands of years. (The Scottish Sun)