North America’s total solar eclipse is not here yet, but one fact that major outlets consistently get wrong is the date of the following total solar eclipse in the U.S. Many websites, newspapers and magazine state that the next U.S. or North American total solar eclipse after April 8 will occur on August 23, 2044. Elsewhere it’s often the “last for 20 years.”
That is not true—it’s on March 30, 2033. That’s exactly nine years.
The source may be NASA, whose website about April 8’s eclipse states that: “After the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on August 23, 2044.” Note that “contiguous” refers to the 48 adjoining U.S. states and D.C. That’s according to Michael Zeiler, eclipse cartographer at GreatAmericanEclipse.com, whose maps you see here come from his Atlas of Solar Eclipses – 2020 to 2045.
Here’s everything you need to know about the following total solar eclipses in 2033, 2044 and, just for good measure, the “Greatest American Eclipse” in 2045.
The Next Total Solar Eclipse In The U.S. And North America
When: March 30, 2033
Where: Alaska, U.S. and Siberia, Russia
St. Lawrence Island, Barrow/Utqiagvik, Kotzebue, or Nome in Alaska will be the places to witness a short totality just an hour or so after sunrise. Lasting 2 minutes 37 seconds maximum, this darkness early in the day will occur during the peak season for the aurora borealis.
The Next Total Solar Eclipse In The Contiguous U.S.
When: August 22, 2044
Where: Greenland, Canada and the U.S.
On August 22, 2044, a total solar eclipse lasting a maximum of 2 minutes 4 seconds will be seen from Greenland, northern Canada, and in the U.S., only Montana and North Dakota. Expect big crowds in Banff National Park and Jasper National Park in Canada, with Calgary and Edmonton also within the path of totality.
The Next Coast To Coast Total Solar Eclipse In North America
When: August 12, 2045
Where: U.S, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Brazil.
Less than a year after totality in Canada and the U.S., the latter gets a big coast-to-coast eclipse. Totality as long as 6 minutes 4 seconds will be seen from Reno, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Tampa, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, with Port Saint Lucie, Florida, where totality will last the longest in the U.S. Expect big crowds at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
However, total solar eclipses are not an American phenomenon—they occur every 18 months (or so), with the next one in Greenland, Iceland and Spain (and a few square feet of Portugal) on August 12, 2026.
Here’s When To See A ‘Great Un-American Eclipse’ — From Spain To Australia.
For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse check my main feed for new articles.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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