Three total solar eclipses across three continents in under two years

Posted on 02/17/2026

Starting February 17, 2026, Earth enters what astronomers are calling a "golden age" of solar eclipses. Over the next three years, six solar eclipses will sweep across the planet: three "ring of fire" annular eclipses and three total solar eclipses, all between 2026 and 2028.

Here's the full lineup:

Annular ("Ring of Fire") Eclipses:

Feb 17, 2026 — Antarctica

Feb 6, 2027 — Chile, Argentina, West Africa

Jan 26, 2028 — Galápagos Islands, Spain

Total Solar Eclipses:

Aug 12, 2026 — Iceland, Greenland, northern Spain (first total eclipse from mainland Europe since 1999)

Aug 2, 2027 — Spain, North Africa, Egypt ("Eclipse of the Century"up to 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality)

Jul 22, 2028 — Australia, New Zealand (totality over Sydney for the first time since 1857)

This double cascade happens because three separate Saros cycles, the ancient patterns that govern when and where eclipses occur, are firing in sync. The last time this happened was 2008 to 2010, but most of those eclipses fell over oceans and remote areas. This time, the paths cross some of the world's most iconic and accessible destinations.

For eclipse chasers, this is generational. Three total solar eclipses across three continents in under two years. It all starts today with a ring of fire over Antarctica.

Our very own Sylmar Library hosts many telescoping events that are open to the public. Follow the Sylmar Neighborhood Council calendar for updates or visit https://www.lapl.org/branches/sylmar