Planning Ahead: A look at when and where to view the Solar Eclipse

The solar eclipse is among the biggest worldwide phenomenon that any human can experience and if you have the opportunity, it is bucket list worthy. The next full solar eclipse in the contiguous United States will not come until August of 2044 with Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota getting the honors of total darkness. The fun thing about knowing when and where they occur is that it gives us a big reason to plan ahead.

Traveling to see the solar eclipse in its rarest form is certainly an adventure and gives any adventure traveler a chance to see the more than just the sky. From now through 2027, there are seven total instances where the solar eclipse will occur. Here is a list of the seven upcoming events and locations for you to plan ahead:

October 2, 2024 - Argentina, Chile, Hawaii

For those looking to view the October 2024 solar eclipse, there is a chance to view it in the United States, however, it will be right at sunrise from 6:10 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. with a partial view of up to 46% in Honolulu and the Big Island. The first major slot of land to get a significant path of darkness will be Easter Island with 87 percent coverage. On the South American continent itself, the path will begin in the afternoon in the Gulf of Penas off the coast of Chile with a glimpse of totality at the southern tip of Laguna San Rafael National Park. As the eclipse crosses the Andes, the path will go through Perito Moreno National Park in Argentina, The most significant city in the path will be Cerro Cuadrado in the Santa Cruz province of Argentina. The Falkland Islands on the northern side will get the most significant view with 85% coverage. South Georgia will get the final view right at sunset fading off below the horizon.

March 29, 2025 - Nunavut, Canada (Partial)

If you are a fan of the seas, the next major North American event will happen on March 29, 2025, in the Canadian providence of Nunavut. There is a big caveat to this event. The eclipse will take place early in the morning right at sunset and no path will get a full view of totality. Cape Dorset has the best view with a maximum coverage of 92 percent from 6:30 a.m. until 7:45 a.m. peaking at 6:52, just 20 minutes after sunrise.

September 22, 2025 - New Zealand (Partial)

Another sea-heavy event and this one is in the southern hemisphere with New Zealand and Antarctica getting the bulk of the activity. Much like that of the Nunavut event, there will not be a full eclipse and it will also be an early morning sunrise showcase. The best view will occur on September 22 on the Southwest Cape of New Zealand and Pukeweka Island with 73% coverage from 6:39 a.m. until 8:25 a.m.

February 17, 2026 - Australia, Antarctica, French Southern Territories

The February 2026 annular solar eclipse will be the first for the planet as a whole in a year and a half to date but the downside of this eclipse is that it will be seen away from the grasp of civilization for the most part as it covers the continent of Antarctica on February 17, 2026. Given that this event is being held during the summer, there is a slight some on the continent that will get some views. Long Beach and Split Point on the Heard and McDonald Islands, deep in the Southern Indian Ocean will get an 88 percent coverage late in the afternoon. The French Southern Territories, which is northwest of the Heard and McDonald Islands will also have a significant view of 83 percent coverage, While it is some coverage, the islands of Reunion and Mauritius will see a max coverage of just 31 percent.

August 12, 2026 - Russia, Arctic Circle, Greenland, Europe

A total solar eclipse and the Northern lights simultaneously? That is a very distinct possibility on August 12, 2026. This is something that is so rare that it may not happen again for a very long time. In Longyearbyen, Norway, there will be at least 90 percent coverage of the eclipse and if there is a geomagnetic storm occurring at the same time, there is a chance of it happening within the evening hours. However, considering that the sun will likely not set until late at night, the auroras may not appear.

Total coverage will be seen in the afternoon from 4:30 p.m. until 5:35 p.m. on the coast of Greenland at the village of Kap Tupinier. Around the same time, Reykjavik in Iceland will also get a total blanket of the sun. If you are in the area, not only will the aurora and eclipse be a possibility together, but the volcanic activity on the island could provide for some of the most amazing photography. The United Kingdom, France, and Western Europe are also expected to have 90 percent coverage including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, and Venice.

If you want 100 percent views in Europe, Northern Portugal and Spain are your best bets. The northeastern part of the Madrid suburbs will get a total blockage along with the island of Majorca. Palma, the largest city on Majorca will get the view right at sunset with the eclipse ending below the open horizon.

February 6, 2027 - Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria

Much like the August 12, 2026 eclipse, the total eclipse of February 6, 2027, will be viewed by a significant portion of the world's population. This time it will take place in South America before finishing on the Western African coast. Just two and a half years after going through the Gulf of Penas, this eclipse will occur just off to the south starting in the Gulf of Corcovado and Corcovado National Park in Chile.

Totality will be in store for the coastal suburbs of Buenos Aires, Bahia Blanca, and the Atlantic coast of Uruguay east of Montevideo. The Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will also get a significant amount of coverage during the eclipse. the majority of the eclipse will be held during the height of the early afternoon in South America.

Once the eclipse leaves Brazil, it goes across the Atlantic where San Pedro on the beaches of the Ivory Coast gets the first significant view with 84 percent coverage. Accra and the Ghana coast along with the Togo city of Lome will get the honors in the late afternoon of the eclipse. The eclipse will have a sunset effect on the coast of Togo, Benin, and Southwestern Nigeria.

August 2, 2027 - Azores, Portugal, Spain, Northern Africa, Red Sea Region, Maldives and British Indian Ocean Territory

Starting in the Azores with a partial eclipse of 87 percent, this event will start over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean early in the morning after sunrise. Lisbon in Portugal and Rabat in Morocco will both get at least 92 and 98 percent totality respectively. The path of totality will go directly over Tangiers, Malaga, Spain, and the Strait of Gibraltar. The morning eclipse next goes over Oran, Algeria on the Mediterranean coast. Algiers will also get a 99 percent blockage of the sun right in the thick of the morning rush. With an extended run through Alegria, the eclipse will cover most of Tunisia in total darkness.

Northern Africa with Tripoli and Benghazi will see a total darkness before crossing over Luxor, the River Nile, and the Red Sea. On the shores of the Red Sea lies the majestic city of Jedda and the historic city of Mecca, which will be directly over the path. Continuing on the western side of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the eclipse will make its way past the Somalian peninsula and out to the Indian Ocean where the southern end of the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory get their opportunity to view the phenomenon.