2026 begins a golden age of solar eclipses: How to see 3 total solar eclipses and 3 'ring of fire' eclipses in 3 years
SOURCE:Space.com|BY: Jamie Carter
Earth is about to see three total solar eclipses in just under two years, with each successive path of totality moving west to east across the globe. Here's everything you need to know to plan an exquisite triple-header.
From August 2026 through July 2028, three total solar eclipses will occur within 710 days. (Image credit: Alan Dyer/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)
2025 saw a lull in solar eclipse excitement. Sure, there was a dramatic sunrise solar eclipse in the northeast U.S. and Canada back in March, and another in New Zealand in September. But the year lacked the kind of eclipse everyone should see at least once in their lives: a total solar eclipse.
That drought is about to end. From 2026 to 2028, Earth will experience a double eclipse cascade — three total solar eclipses (August 2026, August 2027 and July 2028) and three annular solar eclipses (February 2026, February 2027 and January 2028) — a repetition of a pattern last seen from 2008 to 2010.
For eclipse chasers who want to experience one of nature's greatest events — and for anyone who missed the 2024 total solar eclipse in North America — the coming years offer multiple chances for immersion and redemption in the shadow of the moon. One thing's for sure: 2026 marks the start of a brief golden age of opportunities for solar eclipse chasers.
Three total solar eclipses in two years
The path of totality on Aug. 12, 2026. (Image credit: Michael Zeiler/EclipseAtlas.com)
The excitement begins with a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026. It will be the first total eclipse visible from Europe since 2015 and the first from mainland Europe since 1999.
Planning guides for 2026:
The path of totality for the August 2026 solar eclipse will begin in remote Siberia, cross eastern Greenland and western Iceland, and then sweep across northern Spain, before exiting just east of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. Observers in Greenland's Scoresby Sund, Iceland's Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas, and the Spanish cities of Leon, Burgos and Valladolid will be within the path and see the sun's ghostly corona. While totality will last just over two minutes at its maximum, the low position of the eclipsed — particularly in Spain — will offer some dramatic photographic opportunities.
On Aug. 2, 2027, a total solar eclipse lasting up to 6 minutes, 22 seconds will see the moon's shadow move slowly across southern Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. Totality will be visible from historic and cultural landmarks, including the temple- and monument-strewn Luxor, Egypt, offering a near-guaranteed view of the sun's corona in clear skies (although dust storms are possible). No wonder it's being dubbed the "eclipse of the century."
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The path of totality on Aug. 2, 2027. (Image credit: Michael Zeiler/EclipseAtlas.com)
Less than a year later, on July 22, 2028, another total solar eclipse will cut across the Australian Outback and New Zealand. For the first time since 1857, totality will grace Sydney, Australia's largest city, while remote parts of Western Australia will enjoy over five minutes of totality, with clear skies likely.
The path of totality on July 22, 2028. (Image credit: Michael Zeiler/EclipseAtlas.com)
A rare opportunity
Most people consider themselves lucky to see just one total solar eclipse in their lifetime. But from August 2026 to July 2028, dedicated eclipse chasers can experience three shows across three continents.
The trio also offers a range of travel styles, such as chasing eclipses from Arctic and Mediterranean cruise ships in 2026, photographing the eclipsed sun above ancient temples in 2027, and combining stargazing and Outback road trips in 2028. All three eclipses occur during the Northern Hemisphere summer, a time when many can travel more easily.
Although it's rare, this sequence of three total solar eclipses within a two-year period is not unique. In fact, a trio of total solar eclipses begins every 18 years, 11 days and eight hours — the length of one Saros, the cycle of the sun and moon that determines when and where solar eclipses occur. After one Saros cycle, the Earth-moon-sun geometry is almost the same, so a similar eclipse happens again.
From 2026 to 2028, three separate Saros cycles — each producing a total solar eclipse — are in resonance. Looking back in time, there are similar trios, from 1990 to 1992 and from 2008 to 2010, although most of these eclipses took place in remote regions and were difficult to access or troubled by clouds. A trio will occur again from 2044 to 2046, and two are in North America.
Although it may not be unprecedented, the eclipse trio we're about to encounter is the most travel-friendly and geographically spectacular in decades. This is generational.
Best places to see the 2026, 2027 and 2028 total solar eclipses
Planning ahead is crucial for witnessing the three total solar eclipses, each of which has a unique character.
Aug. 12, 2026 total solar eclipse: Choose a cruise near Greenland, urban comforts in Reykjavik, a trip to rural Spain, or a sunset eclipse over the sea from Majorca.
Aug. 2, 2027 total solar eclipse: From southern Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, expect clear skies and a very long totality. However, head to Luxor, Egypt (home of the longest totality of the remaining 21st century), for the ultimate bragging rights.
July 22, 2028 total solar eclipse: Sydney will be busy, but head to the Kimberley region of Western Australia or north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory for the best clear-sky experience.
Beyond the "big three"
This golden age isn't limited to total solar eclipses. The timeline also includes a trio of annular — or "ring of fire" — solar eclipses in three consecutive years, within just 708 days. Annular eclipses may not be as interesting as total solar eclipses, but they are special.
There's a quiet start on Feb. 17, 2026, with an annular solar eclipse visible only from a remote region of Antarctica. But after that, there's a classic Atlantic-to-Africa track in 2027 and, in 2028, a travel editor's dream when the Galápagos Islands and Spain see a ring of fire. For Spain in 2028, it will be the third major solar eclipse in just 532 days — a gift like no other for European eclipse chasers.
Upcoming annular solar eclipse:
Feb. 17, 2026 annular solar eclipse: This event is for extreme adventurers only, though Antarctic cruises may offer views of a partial solar eclipse.
Feb. 6, 2027 annular solar eclipse: This annular eclipse will be visible from parts of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria (sunset). Choose between a high eclipse over Patagonia's likely clear skies and a risky sunset view from West Africa.
Jan. 26, 2028 annular solar eclipse: The path of annularity crosses the Galápagos Islands, mainland Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, Morocco, Portugal and Spain (sunset), presenting an amazing opportunity for a Galápagos cruise or a trip to southern Portugal or Spain.
Jamie is an experienced science, technology and travel journalist and stargazer who writes about exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, moon-gazing, astro-travel, astronomy and space exploration. He is the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners, and is a senior contributor at Forbes. His special skill is turning tech-babble into plain English.
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