On April 8th, a truly wondrous event took place that captured the imagination of millions across the globe. As the moon passed between the Earth and the sun, its shadow fell upon our planet, creating a path of totality that plunged those within it into darkness during what should have been daylight hours. It’s been revealed that the next solar eclipse to cross the mainland of the United States will occur in 20 years, on August 23, 2044. Beginning in Greenland, the eclipse will sweep through Canada before finally ending as the sun sets over Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Only these three states will experience the path of totality on this occasion. However, if you’re eager to witness a solar eclipse before then, there are plenty of destinations around the world that offer this extraordinary phenomenon!
Before we begin..What is a Solar Eclipse?
If you know me, personally, you would know that I went to see the April 8th Eclipse in Texas in the path of totality. But how does an eclipse even occur in the first place? A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking all or part of the sun’s light. This happens only during the new moon phase when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned. A total solar eclipse, where the sun is completely obscured by the moon, is incredibly rare because the moon’s shadow is relatively small and only covers a specific area on the Earth’s surface during the event, and sometimes it doesn’t perfectly align with the sun and earth to create complete darkness! If you’re willing to travel and check out one of these total eclipses below, my recommendations are to go towards the center of the path of totality, and stay in an area where it isn’t too crowded to get the full experience!
On August 12, 2026, Total Solar Eclipse – Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain
On August 2, 2027 Total Solar Eclipse – Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia
On July 22, 2028, Total Solar Eclipse – Australia, New Zealand
On November 25, 2030, Total Solar Eclipse – Botswana, South Africa, Australia
On March 30, 2033, Total Solar Eclipse – Russia, Alaska
On March 20, 2034 Total Solar Eclipse – Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India China
September 2, 2035, Total Solar Eclipse – China, Japan, Pacific
On July 13, 2037 Total Solar Eclipse – Australia, New Zealand
On December 26, 2038 Total Solar Eclipse – Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific
On April 30, 2041 Total Solar Eclipse – Angola, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia
On April 20, 2042 Total Solar Eclipse – Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, North Pacific
On April 9, 2043 Total Solar Eclipse – Russia
On August 23, 2044 Total Solar Eclipse – Greenland, Canada, U.S.
And finally, on August 12, 2045, Total Solar Eclipse – U.S., Haiti, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Brazil
There are numerous destinations all over the world that you can visit if you love traveling or just want to experience the feeling of totality. Witnessing a solar eclipse is a rare and incredible event that many people dream of experiencing. Although the next total solar eclipse visible from the mainland United States won’t occur until August 23, 2044, there are plenty of opportunities worldwide to witness this incredible event. Whether you’re interested in traveling to the Arctic, Africa, Asia, Europe, or the South Pacific, there are many upcoming eclipse dates to add to your bucket list! Make sure to plan and take full advantage of these precious moments when the moon and sun align perfectly.
