Eclipses 2031: 2 solar and 3 lunar
2031 has 5 eclipses: 2 of the Sun and 3 of the moon. The first is the penumbral lunar eclipse of Wednesday, 7 May 2031 and the last falls on 14 November 2031. None of them are total.
When is the next eclipse?
The next eclipse of 2031 is a penumbral lunar eclipse on Wednesday, 7 May 2031, 1,687 days away. In a penumbral lunar eclipse, the moon passes through the outer shadow only and dims slightly rather than darkening. 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 2031?
5 in total: 2 solar and 3 lunar. A calendar year always carries at least four and can carry as many as seven, so 2031 sits in the middle of that range. The spread of types in 2031 is penumbral, annular, hybrid.
| Date | Weekday | Kind | Type | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 2031 | Wednesday | Lunar | Penumbral | the moon passes through the outer shadow only and dims slightly rather than darkening |
| 21 May 2031 | Wednesday | Solar | Annular | the moon is too far from Earth to cover the Sun completely, leaving a bright ring |
| 5 June 2031 | Thursday | Lunar | Penumbral | the moon passes through the outer shadow only and dims slightly rather than darkening |
| 30 October 2031 | Thursday | Lunar | Penumbral | the moon passes through the outer shadow only and dims slightly rather than darkening |
| 14 November 2031 | Friday | Solar | Hybrid | the eclipse changes between total and annular along its track as the Earth curves away |
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 2031 eclipse with the phase instant computed independently on the moon phases page.
| Eclipse date | Kind | Required phase | Phase instant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 2031 | Lunar | Full Moon | 7 May 2031 at 03:39 UTC |
| 21 May 2031 | Solar | New Moon | 21 May 2031 at 07:17 UTC |
| 5 June 2031 | Lunar | Full Moon | 5 June 2031 at 11:58 UTC |
| 30 October 2031 | Lunar | Full Moon | 30 October 2031 at 07:32 UTC |
| 14 November 2031 | Solar | New Moon | 14 November 2031 at 21:09 UTC |
Where will the 2031 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 2031?
- 5: 2 solar and 3 lunar.
- When is the first eclipse of 2031?
- Wednesday, 7 May 2031, a penumbral lunar eclipse.
- Is there a total solar eclipse in 2031?
- No. The solar eclipses of 2031 are annular and hybrid.
- 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 2031
Day of the year · Event countdowns · When is it? · Date calculator