Hungry for more solar eclipse fun? Here’s what you need to know about the next one
Alyssa Bradford
·7 min read
Solar flares are seen during the total solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, at Eagle Pass Student Activities Center in Eagle Pass, Texas. | Jon Shapley
Monday’s total solar eclipse has only just ended, but it’s never too early to mark your calendars for the next one.
The next total solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026. The path of totality will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal and northern Spain, per the National Solar Observatory.
But the next total solar eclipse with a path of totality in the contiguous U.S. won’t be until 2044, according to National Eclipse.
Clouds part as a partial eclipse of the sun and moon cross atop the New Sweden Evangelical Lutheran Church steeple Monday, April 8, 2024, in Manor, Texas. | Charles Rex Arbogast
The Solar Eclipse as seen from Salt Lake City, Utah, on Monday, April 8, 2024.
The moon covers most of the the sun as it approaches the total solar eclipse, as seen from the summit of Saddleback Mountain, Monday, April 8, 2024, near Rangeley, Maine. | Robert F. Bukaty
Pink flamingos move around their enclosure at the Fort Worth Zoo during a solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. | LM Otero
Didier Timothy-Mondesir watches the solar eclipse from Prince Edward County, Ontario, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Sean Kilpatrick
Clouds cover the sky prior to a total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. | Julio Cortez
A person wears protective glasses to watch as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from at National Mall in Washington, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Jose Luis Magana
A general view of the field as people gather during a total solar eclipse before a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Aaron Doster
People use their cell phones as the sky darkens during a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Fernando Llano
Sun spots are seen during the beginning phase of a total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. | Julio Cortez
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Fernando Llano
The moon is seen passing in front of the sun with the top of the Washington Monument in silhouette during a solar eclipse in Washington on Monday, April 8, 2024. | Bill Ingalls
Skiers and hikers take in the view of the total eclipse from the Appalachian Trail at the summit of Saddleback Mountain, Monday, April 8, 2024, near Rangeley, Maine. | Robert F. Bukaty
Britney Borish, a sophomore film major, looks for magnetically driven hurricanes on the sun using a Hydrogen Alpha telescope during the "Solar Eclipse Community Viewing: Sidewalk Astronomy" event hosted by Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and its astronomical observatory on the FAU campus on Monday, April 8, 2024. | Amy Beth Bennett
People use special glasses to watch a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Fernando Llano
Kenny Roda uses special glasses to take a picture of the total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Cleveland. | Ron Schwane
People watch as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Eric Gay
New York Yankees' Carlos Rodón watches the solar eclipse from Yankee Stadium before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Monday, April 8, 2024, in New York. | Noah K. Murray
Couples to be wed exchange rings just before totality during a solar eclipse during a mass wedding ceremony at Trenton Community Park, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Trenton, Ohio. | Jon Cherry
A patron look up at the sun during an solar eclipse during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. | Charlie Riedel
A research balloon is prepared for launch at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 8, 2024 to study the total eclipse. NearSpace Education launched two high-altitude research balloons carrying cameras, instruments, and experiments designed by blind and visually impaired students. | Michael Conroy
Isabel Franco, left, and her parrot Alex watch a solar eclipse from Griffith Observatory on Monday, April 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. | Andy Bao
The moon partially covers the sun behind the Statue of Liberty during the a solar eclipse on the Liberty Island, Monday, April 8, 2024, in New York. | Yuki Iwamura
Spectators use special glasses to watch a solar eclipse near Griffith Observatory on Monday, April 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. | Andy Bao
People gather to watch the total solar eclipse from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Monday, April 8, 2024. | Matt Rourke
A cross on top of a steeple of the St. John's the Evangelist Church in Attleboro, Mass. partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024. | MARK STOCKWELL
Skiers and hikers take in the view from the Appalachian Trail at the summit of Saddleback Mountain during the total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, near Rangeley, Maine. | Robert F. Bukaty
Restaurant workers in the Flatiron district of Manhattan take a break to view the solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in New York. | John Minchillo
Can you see the next total solar eclipse in the U.S.?
No part of the United States is in the path of totality for the 2026 total solar eclipse. However, some Americans will be able to experience a partial solar eclipse at that time, according to National Eclipse.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and earth, but they are not perfectly aligned. This results in only a portion of the sun being obscured, creating a crescent shape, per NASA.
According to National Eclipse, some people in the following states will be able to see a partial solar eclipse in 2026:
Alaska.
Connecticut.
Delaware.
Iowa.
Illinois.
Indiana.
Massachusetts.
Maryland.
Maine.
Michigan.
Minnesota.
Montana.
North Carolina.
North Dakota.
New Hampshire.
New Jersey.
New York.
Ohio.
Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island.
South Dakota.
Virginia.
Vermont.
Wisconsin.
West Virginia.
While it may be disappointing to hear that the U.S. will not see a total solar eclipse for some time, many people believe that partial eclipses are still worth seeing.
One of the most popular things to look for, besides enjoying the view with certified eclipse glasses, is crescent shadows, according to The Planetary Society.
For a fun activity with family or friends, here are some ideas on where or how to see crescent shadows during partial eclipses:
Tree shadows.
Hold up a colander outside.
Hold up crackers with small holes outside.
Put your hands in the air, putting one on top of the other at 45 degree angles.
Anything that lets light through small holes will work.
Pro-tip for partial eclipses: check out the shadows around you! Small holes, like the spaces between leaves, create neat crescent shapes.
Per National Eclipse, there will be some variety of solar eclipse visible in the U.S. four times over the next 21 years:
Total solar eclipse: March 30, 2033. The path of totality will cross Alaska.
Annular solar eclipse: June 21, 2039. The path of annularity will cross Alaska.
Total solar eclipse: Aug. 23, 2044. The path of totality will cross Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Total solar eclipse: Aug. 12, 2045. The path of totality will cross Utah, Colorado and several other U.S. states.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and earth but, due to its position at the time of the eclipse, doesn’t fully block the sun, according to NASA.
An annular solar eclipse is also called a ring of fire eclipse because there’s a ring of sunlight visible around the moon.
How often do total solar eclipses occur?
Total solar eclipses occur every one to two years somewhere in the world. It takes more than 360 years for a total solar eclipse’s path of totality to cover the same place twice, per NASA.
Across the world, there are two solar eclipses, whether annular, total or some other variety, in a typical year, but there can be up to five, according to Time and Date.
The total solar eclipse witnessed across North America was a big attraction throughout sports on Monday. Several athletes were photographed watching the phenomenon.
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