Upcoming eclipse events — and how we know when they’ll occur

Here’s a list of upcoming eclipse events — and how we know when they’ll occur

When are the next eclipses that we’ll be able to see in the Americas?

Updated: 1:12 PM EDT Apr 6, 2024

Ready and waiting for the total solar eclipse this Monday, April 8? Well, if you happen to miss it — or if you are a real eclipse chaser — there are some other upcoming eclipses to watch out for in the future.Related video above: Marvel at these photos from the last solar eclipse of the decadeBefore we get to the list, let’s take a minute to break down how we know when eclipses will occur. Eclipses are fairly precise cosmological events, dealing with the geometry of space. Figuring out when they occur involves relying on the Saros Series, which is a span of 223 lunar months and has been used to reliably predict eclipses for thousand of years — specifically since the Chaldean or Neo-Babylonian Empire of what we now call the Middle East. “In a Saros Series, exactly 9 years, 5.5 days after any lunar eclipse, a solar eclipse will occur, and vice versa,” according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “These similar eclipses are part of the same Saros Cycle, and the time between the two eclipses is called a saros.”It’s also important to remember that there a different types of eclipses, based on the distance between the moon and the Earth. The eclipse on April 8 is a total solar eclipse, meaning that the moon will completely cover the sun when it passes by in the sky. This is more significant and happens less often than an annular or partial solar eclipse, according to NASA. An annular eclipse means that the moon is very far away from the Earth, meaning it does not completely cover the sun, giving the eclipse that “ring of fire” look. A partial eclipse means that these celestial objects are passing by each other, but are not perfectly lined up, usually resulting in a crescent-shaped eclipse.Now that you know how we know and what we’re looking for, when are the next eclipses that we’ll be able to see?According to NASA, after April 8, 2024, there will actually be two eclipses to see later this year. On Sept. 8, there will be a partial lunar eclipse — meaning the Earth will pass between the moon and Sun, casting a brief partial shadow on the surface of the moon — visible to the Americas, Europe, and Africa. And on Oct. 2, there will be an annular solar eclipse visible in South America, with the event partially visible in North America, Antarctica, and some parts of South America.March 2025 should be an exciting month for eclipse-watchers. On March 14, there is a total lunar eclipse — meaning the moon will be cast in a red glow as the Earth covers the sun — visible in the Americas. Then, on March 25, there will be a partial solar eclipse visible from North and South America.Also in 2025, there is a partial solar eclipse visible from Australia and Antarctica on Sept. 21, if you happen to be there.In 2026, there is an annular eclipse on Feb. 17 that will only be visible from Antartica, but will be partially visible in South America. The next total solar eclipse will be on Aug. 12, 2026, and will only be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal, but a partial eclipse will be visible from North America.And the next total solar American eclipse? That will be on Aug. 23, 2044 — so try to keep your eclipse glasses in mint condition.