Eclipses 2026: Dates, Times, Signs and Where to See Them

There are four eclipses in 2026: an annular solar eclipse on 17 February, a total lunar eclipse on 3 March, a total solar eclipse on 12 August and a partial lunar eclipse on 28 August. The solar eclipses fall at new moons and the lunar eclipses at full moons. The table gives the moment of greatest eclipse in six cities, with the zodiac degree, and each eclipse is described below with the regions NASA lists for its visibility.

Eclipse times and positions in 2026

The time shown is the moment of greatest eclipse. The date can differ by time zone, and readers elsewhere can convert from UTC. The degree is the tropical zodiac position of the Sun and Moon (solar eclipses) or the Moon (lunar eclipses). Greatest eclipse is a single instant, not the whole event: an eclipse is visible for an hour or more, and a place can only see it if the relevant body is above its horizon.

The types of eclipse

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. In a total eclipse the Moon covers the Sun completely for people inside a narrow path, and the sky darkens. In an annular eclipse the Moon is slightly too far away to cover the Sun, so a bright ring remains. Outside the path, viewers see a partial eclipse. A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse it enters the darkest part of the shadow (the umbra) and usually turns a dim red. In a partial lunar eclipse only part of it does. In a penumbral eclipse it passes only through the faint outer shadow, and the dimming is so slight that it is easy to miss.

Each eclipse in 2026

Annular solar eclipse, 17 February 2026

Greatest eclipse is at 12:11 pm UTC (7:11 am in New York, 5:41 pm in New Delhi), with the Sun and Moon at 28 degrees 50 minutes of Aquarius. NASA lists the visibility as southern Argentina and Chile, southern Africa and Antarctica, with the path of annularity in Antarctica. It falls at the new moon.

Total lunar eclipse, 3 March 2026

Greatest eclipse is at 11:33 am UTC (6:33 am in New York, 5:03 pm in New Delhi), with the Moon at 12 degrees 51 minutes of Virgo. NASA lists visibility as east Asia, Australia, the Pacific and the Americas. It falls at the full moon of 3 March.

Total solar eclipse, 12 August 2026

Greatest eclipse is at 5:45 pm UTC (1:45 pm in New York, 6:45 pm in London), with the Sun and Moon at 20 degrees 02 minutes of Leo. NASA lists visibility as northern North America, west Africa and Europe, with totality crossing the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain. Everyone outside the path of totality sees at most a partial eclipse, and only with proper eye protection.

Partial lunar eclipse, 28 August 2026

Greatest eclipse is at 4:12 am UTC (12:12 am in New York, 9:42 am in New Delhi), with the Moon at 4 degrees 51 minutes of Pisces. NASA lists visibility as the east Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. It falls at the full moon of 28 August.

How to watch safely

Never look at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses or a proper solar filter, including during a partial or annular eclipse. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe, and looking through a camera, binoculars or a telescope without a solar filter can cause permanent eye damage. Lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. Penumbral lunar eclipses are subtle, so do not expect a dramatic change.

What the tradition says

In astrology, eclipses are traditionally read as turning points: moments when something ends, is revealed or changes direction, with the sign involved colouring the theme. Many readers use them as occasions to review a long-running situation. This is a belief and an interpretive tradition, and there is no scientific evidence that eclipses affect events in a person’s life. Eclipses are predictable astronomical events, and calm is the right response. If one makes you uneasy, remember that people have watched them for thousands of years. To see which of your own chart areas an eclipse touches, find your Sun, Moon and rising signs with the Sun Moon Rising calculator. The same dates sit in the full moon and new moon calendar for 2026, and the 2027 eclipses are on their own page.

Source for eclipse paths and visibility: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center eclipse website.

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