If you are a stargazer and have deep interest in the celestial events, it is time you marked your calendar as NASA has some exciting news for you.
Annular Solar Eclipse in October 2024: This eclipse will occur on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
Skywatchers in North America will not have to wait too long for the next solar eclipse. The annular solar eclipse will be visible across parts of South America.
Most of it will be visible over the ocean.
During an annular eclipse, the moon is too far away from Earth to completely block the sun, leaving a bright ring of sunlight around the darkened centre.
But for those hoping for a total eclipse, where the sun is completely obscured, the wait will be a bit longer. The next total solar eclipse won't be visible across the contiguous United States until August 2044.
However, sky enthusiasts elsewhere will have a chance to witness this spectacular phenomenon sooner.
Total Solar Eclipse in August 2026: This eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. It will be visible in parts of North America and almost all of Europe.
In August 2026, total eclipse will be visible across Greenland, Iceland, parts of Europe, and a small area of Portugal.
Total Solar Eclipse in August 2044: This eclipse will occur on August 22–23, 2044. It will be visible in Greenland, Canada, and the US.
In the US, the path of totality will cross over Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota on August 22. The maximum duration of totality for this eclipse will be 2 minutes and 4 seconds.
The eclipse forecasts are so precise that they "are accurate to less than a minute in time over a span of hundreds of years," NASA says. Hence,, you can be sure to catch these celestial events with confidence!