How many solar eclipses happen each year?

There are between 2 and 5 solar eclipses per year. At least 2 must occur because the Sun and Moon align near a lunar node twice per year. Total solar eclipses are rarer — on average about 1.5 per year globally, but any given location on Earth sees one only every 375 years on average.

What is the difference between a total and an annular solar eclipse?

In a total eclipse, the Moon is close enough to Earth that its apparent diameter exceeds the Sun's, so it completely blocks the solar disk and reveals the corona. In an annular eclipse, the Moon is near apogee (farther from Earth) and appears smaller, leaving a bright "ring of fire" around it.

What is a hybrid solar eclipse?

A hybrid eclipse begins as an annular eclipse along part of its path but transitions into a total eclipse for another segment, because the curvature of Earth brings some observers closer to the Moon during the event. These are rare — roughly 5% of all solar eclipses.

How long does totality last?

The maximum duration of totality depends on the Moon's distance from Earth and the observer's position on the central path. The theoretical maximum is about 7 minutes 32 seconds. Most totalities are between 1 and 4 minutes. Annular eclipses can last up to 12 minutes of "ring of fire."

Why is the path of totality so narrow?

The Moon's umbra — the cone of complete shadow — is only about 100 to 200 km wide where it touches Earth's surface. The penumbra (partial shadow) is much wider (thousands of kilometers), which is why partial eclipses are visible across large regions.

Are the dates and times accurate?

Dates, types, greatest-eclipse UTC times and central durations are transcribed from NASA's Canon of Solar Eclipses: 2001–2100. Broad region summaries are orientation only. Exact local visibility and contact times require coordinates and a local-circumstances calculator such as NASA's Eclipse Explorer.

Solar Eclipse Calculator

Find the next solar eclipse date and NASA greatest-eclipse UTC time, then filter events through 2035 by year, type, or broad visibility region.

Next Solar Eclipse

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Countdown target: NASA greatest-eclipse time in UTC, not your local contact time.

Days

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Solar Eclipse Dates 2024–2035

Source: NASA Canon of Solar Eclipses: 2001–2100. Click or press Enter on any row to update the diagram.

Eclipse type

Year

Broad visibility region

Show past dates

Region search matches the broad NASA-oriented summary below; it does not prove visibility from a city or address.

Date	Type	Greatest (UTC)	Max central phase	Primary Visibility

Eclipse Geometry

Total Solar Eclipse — Moon fully covers the Sun

Sun

Moon

Earth

Umbra shadow

Diagram is schematic — not to scale. Click a table row to switch between eclipse types.

Eclipse Types

Total: Moon completely covers the Sun. Corona visible. Requires standing in the narrow umbra path.
Annular: Moon near apogee — appears smaller, leaving a "ring of fire" around the solar disk.
Hybrid: Appears total along some of the path and annular along others due to Earth's curvature. Rare (~5% of eclipses).
Partial: Only the penumbra reaches your location; the Moon covers part of the Sun but not the center.

View the Sun safely

Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, never look directly at the Sun without specialized solar viewing protection. For partial or annular eclipses, use safe eclipse glasses or a handheld viewer that complies with ISO 12312-2. Regular sunglasses are not safe. Cameras, binoculars and telescopes require front-mounted solar filters; do not look through them while wearing eclipse glasses.

NASA eclipse viewing safety guidance

Summary

Find the next solar eclipse date and NASA greatest-eclipse UTC time, then filter events through 2035 by year, type, or broad visibility region.

How it works

Eclipse data (dates, types, durations, visibility) is sourced from NASA's Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses.
JavaScript calculates the difference between today's date and each eclipse date to find the nearest upcoming event.
The countdown ticks toward NASA's published greatest-eclipse UTC time; it is not a local contact-time prediction.
The eclipse table highlights the next upcoming eclipse and marks past eclipses as completed.
Click any eclipse row to update the SVG diagram showing the alignment geometry for that eclipse type.
The diagram labels the umbra and penumbra shadow cones, showing why totality is visible only in a narrow path.

Use cases

Plan travel to the path of totality for a future total solar eclipse.
Teach students about eclipse geometry and the umbra vs. penumbra.
Quickly find when and where the next annular or hybrid eclipse occurs.
Understand the difference between total, annular, hybrid, and partial solar eclipses.
Compare published maximum central-phase durations; local duration requires a path/contact-time calculator.
Use as a reference when building eclipse observation or photography plans.
Check which continent or ocean a rare hybrid eclipse crosses.
Settle debates about upcoming eclipse dates with authoritative NASA-sourced data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-19 · Reviewed by Nham Vu