Eclipses 2026: 2 solar and 2 lunar
2026 has 4 eclipses: 2 of the Sun and 2 of the moon. The first is the annular solar eclipse of Tuesday, 17 February 2026 and the last falls on 28 August 2026. 2 of the 4 are total.
When is the next eclipse?
All 4 eclipses of 2026 have passed. The last was a partial lunar eclipse on Friday, 28 August 2026. Eclipses come in pairs about two weeks apart, because a solar eclipse at new moon and a lunar eclipse at the following or preceding full moon share the same alignment of the moon's orbit with the Earth and Sun.
How many eclipses are there in 2026?
4 in total: 2 solar and 2 lunar. A calendar year always carries at least four and can carry as many as seven, so 2026 sits at the quiet end of that range. The spread of types in 2026 is annular, total, partial.
| Date | Weekday | Kind | Type | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 February 2026 | Tuesday | Solar | Annular | the moon is too far from Earth to cover the Sun completely, leaving a bright ring |
| 3 March 2026 | Tuesday | Lunar | Total | the moon covers the Sun completely and the sky goes dark along a narrow track |
| 12 August 2026 | Wednesday | Solar | Total | the moon covers the Sun completely and the sky goes dark along a narrow track |
| 28 August 2026 | Friday | Lunar | Partial | only part of the disc is covered, and the effect is easy to miss without a filter |
Why every eclipse lands on a new or full moon
A solar eclipse needs the moon between Earth and Sun, which is the definition of new moon. A lunar eclipse needs the Earth between Sun and moon, which is full moon. The reason there is not an eclipse every month is that the moon's orbit is tilted by about five degrees, so most new and full moons pass above or below the shadow. Only when a new or full moon coincides with the moon crossing the plane of Earth's orbit does an eclipse follow. The table below pairs each 2026 eclipse with the phase instant computed independently on the moon phases page.
| Eclipse date | Kind | Required phase | Phase instant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 February 2026 | Solar | New Moon | 17 February 2026 at 12:01 UTC |
| 3 March 2026 | Lunar | Full Moon | 3 March 2026 at 11:37 UTC |
| 12 August 2026 | Solar | New Moon | 12 August 2026 at 17:36 UTC |
| 28 August 2026 | Lunar | Full Moon | 28 August 2026 at 04:18 UTC |
Where will the 2026 eclipses be visible?
This page gives dates and types, not tracks. Visibility depends on where the shadow falls, and the answer differs for every eclipse: a total solar eclipse is total only inside a path a couple of hundred kilometres wide, while the surrounding partial phase covers a far larger area. Lunar eclipses are easier, because anyone on the night side of the Earth at the time can see one without equipment. For the exact path of any eclipse listed here, work from the published circumstances rather than from a date alone.
Never look at a partially eclipsed Sun without a proper solar filter. The only safe moment for the unaided eye is totality itself, inside the narrow track, and even then only for as long as it lasts.
Questions
- How many eclipses are there in 2026?
- 4: 2 solar and 2 lunar.
- When is the first eclipse of 2026?
- Tuesday, 17 February 2026, a annular solar eclipse.
- Is there a total solar eclipse in 2026?
- Yes, on 12 August 2026.
- Can I see all of these?
- No. Each eclipse is visible only from part of the Earth, and a total solar eclipse only from a narrow track.
Eclipses in other years
More for 2026
Day of the year · Event countdowns · When is it? · Date calculator