Solar and Lunar Eclipse Dates
Next eclipseFeb 6, 2027 15:59Annular solar eclipse · Aquarius
| Greatest eclipse | Type | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2025 06:58 | Total lunar eclipse | Virgo |
| Mar 29, 2025 10:47 | Partial solar eclipse | Aries |
| Sep 7, 2025 18:11 | Total lunar eclipse | Pisces |
| Sep 21, 2025 19:41 | Partial solar eclipse | Virgo |
| Feb 17, 2026 12:11 | Annular solar eclipse | Aquarius |
| Mar 3, 2026 11:33 | Total lunar eclipse | Virgo |
| Aug 12, 2026 17:45 | Total solar eclipse | Leo |
| Aug 28, 2026 04:12 | Partial lunar eclipse | Pisces |
| Feb 6, 2027 15:59 | Annular solar eclipse | Aquarius |
| Feb 20, 2027 23:12 | Penumbral lunar eclipse | Virgo |
| Jul 18, 2027 16:02 | Penumbral lunar eclipse | Capricorn |
| Aug 2, 2027 10:06 | Total solar eclipse | Leo |
| Aug 17, 2027 07:13 | Penumbral lunar eclipse | Aquarius |
| Jan 12, 2028 04:13 | Partial lunar eclipse | Cancer |
| Jan 26, 2028 15:07 | Annular solar eclipse | Aquarius |
| Jul 6, 2028 18:19 | Partial lunar eclipse | Capricorn |
| Jul 22, 2028 02:55 | Total solar eclipse | Cancer |
| Dec 31, 2028 16:51 | Total lunar eclipse | Cancer |
Times in UTC, to the minute, from the astronomical ephemeris.
An eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up closely enough for one body’s shadow to fall on another: solar eclipses at a new moon, lunar eclipses at a full moon, four to seven a year in all. The table lists each with its type, the moment of greatest eclipse and its sign, computed from an astronomical ephemeris.
What an eclipse is
At a solar eclipse, the new Moon passes in front of the Sun and its shadow sweeps across part of Earth. At a lunar eclipse, Earth sits between the Sun and the full Moon, and the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow.
Why not every month? The Moon’s orbit is tilted about five degrees to the ecliptic, so most new moons pass above or below the Sun and most full moons miss Earth’s shadow. An eclipse needs a new or full moon near one of the two points where the Moon’s path crosses the ecliptic, the north and south lunar nodes of astrology.
Eclipse seasons: why there are only a few each year
The Sun passes one of the nodes about every 173 days. The weeks around each pass form an eclipse season, slightly longer than a lunar month, so each season brings at least one solar eclipse and usually a lunar eclipse two weeks before or after; some bring three. A year has four to seven eclipses, at least two of them solar.
The nodes drift backward around the zodiac in about 18.6 years, so eclipse seasons arrive roughly 19 days earlier each year, and eclipses cluster in one pair of opposite signs for about a year and a half before moving on. They also repeat in a cycle of about 18 years and 11 days, the saros, which ancient astronomers used to predict them.
Types of eclipse
A total solar eclipse covers the Sun completely, turning day to twilight for a few minutes and revealing the pale corona. An annular eclipse happens when the Moon is farther away and looks slightly smaller than the Sun, leaving a ring of light. A partial eclipse covers only part of the Sun; a hybrid, the rarest kind, is total along part of its path and annular elsewhere.
In a total lunar eclipse the whole Moon enters the umbra, Earth’s dark inner shadow. It doesn’t vanish: Earth’s atmosphere bends mostly red light into the shadow, so the Moon glows copper or deep red, the so-called blood moon. A partial eclipse dips only part of the Moon into the umbra; a penumbral one touches only the faint outer shadow and is easy to miss.
Why you may not be able to see it
The Moon’s shadow is small. A total or annular path is usually a few dozen to a few hundred kilometers wide, with a partial eclipse across a much wider area. Totality never lasts much more than seven minutes, and any one spot waits a few centuries on average between total eclipses.
A lunar eclipse is seen at the same moment from the whole night side of Earth, though it may fall in your daytime. Never look at a solar eclipse without certified eclipse glasses or a proper solar filter; ordinary sunglasses are not enough. A lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye.
Reading the table
Each row gives the type, the moment of greatest eclipse, when the Sun is most covered or the Moon deepest in shadow, and the sign. Times are in UTC, to the minute.
For a solar eclipse, that moment describes the eclipse as a whole; locally it can peak an hour or more away. A solar eclipse’s sign is the one the Sun and Moon share; a lunar eclipse’s is the Moon’s, opposite the Sun. If a date differs elsewhere, time zones are the usual reason: 3:00 UTC is still the previous evening in the Americas. Subtract four or five hours for New York, add zero or one for London, and add ten or eleven for Sydney.
How astrologers read eclipses
Many cultures treated eclipses as omens: in ancient China a celestial dog swallowed the Sun, and in Norse myth wolves chased the Sun and Moon. Modern astrology usually treats eclipses as intensified new and full moons, a solar eclipse as a strong beginning and a lunar eclipse as a culmination or revelation.
Eclipses near the north node are often read as a push toward the unfamiliar, those near the south node as a time to release what you’ve outgrown, with themes unfolding over the following months. To find yours, note which house holds the eclipse sign; eclipses tend to light up a pair of opposite houses, and a close contact with your Sun, Moon, rising sign or another natal planet may feel more personal. It points to what is worth reflecting on, not to what will happen.
FAQ
How do eclipses affect people?
Physically, the Moon’s pull during a lunar eclipse is the same as at any full moon. Astrologers read eclipses as emotional high points and turning points, and some people say they feel unsettled; this site doesn’t treat that as a health matter. For reflection, ask what in your life is ending or beginning.
Should I make big decisions or set intentions during an eclipse?
Astrologers disagree. Some treat a solar eclipse as a potent new moon for intentions; others wait a few days because eclipses are said to be unsettled. These are traditions, not rules, and this site doesn’t advise either way; base big decisions on your real circumstances.
What is a blood moon?
The popular name for the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, when it turns red or coppery. Sunlight filtered through Earth’s atmosphere, the glow of every sunrise and sunset at that moment, is bent into the shadow and falls on the Moon; dust and clouds set the shade. Once an ill omen, it is now simply a beautiful sight.
Can I see the next eclipse from where I live?
It depends on where you are. Total and annular eclipses are visible only along a narrow path, with a partial eclipse around it; a lunar eclipse is visible wherever it is night. A local observatory or planetarium can give exact timing, and a solar eclipse always calls for certified eclipse glasses.