When and Where the Next Total Solar Eclipse Will Be
Inspiration to spark your next eclipse chasing adventures beyond April 8.
If you're here now, there are likely two possibilities: Either you're so excited about this upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8 that you already want to make plans for the next one, or you (sadly) know you'll miss out on the big celestial event of 2024 and are already looking to make up for it.
Either way, you can sigh in relief, because you won't have to wait for long—and the travel world is right on top of it, too.
The next total solar eclipse on Earth will bless the skies on August 12, 2026, but beware—you'll have to travel outside of the US to see it this time. The path of totality will extend from the Arctic all the way down to Northeastern Portugal, touching three other countries, including Greenland, Iceland, and Spain in a curved diagonal. You can check out this map from the National Solar Observatory to learn more about the predicted path of totality for the 2026 eclipse.
Unfortunately, the path will also extend, for a good part, across both the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean, so unless you hop on a boat or a cruise ship, all those square miles of totality will be inaccessible. Luckily for you, though, the travel industry is already coming up with eclipse viewing opportunities for 2026, and among them are, in fact, cruises tailored around the celestial event. You can learn more about them in our dedicated guide.
If you are not willing to travel for the eclipse, though, you'll have to wait longer to catch the next one from the US. On March 20, 2033, a total solar eclipse lasting a maximum of two minutes and 37 seconds will be visible across parts of Russia and Alaska. This eclipse will not be visible from the contiguous US.
Here is a map of the 2033 total solar eclipse:
The next total solar eclipse that will be visible from the continental United States will occur on August 23, 2044, which is more than 20 years from now. However, you'll likely have to travel for that one too, because only three states will be in the path of totality at that time, including parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
Here is a map of the 2044 total solar eclipse's path of totality:
Ready to go stargazing?
Here are all the best stargazing events that you can get out and see this month or you could stay in and stream the northern lights from home. If you're just getting started, check out our guide to astronomy for beginners or easy stargazing road trips from big US cities.