What astronomy dates are still ahead in 2026?
After June 12, 2026, the confirmed future items in this set are the June solstice, the August total solar eclipse, the August partial lunar eclipse, the September equinox and the December solstice.
Astronomy dates 2026
This is a compact UTC calendar for the rest of 2026: the next season changes and the two remaining eclipses. It is for planning ahead, not for deciding whether an eclipse is visible from a specific town or whether clouds will cooperate.
The solstice and equinox timers use exact Universal Time from the U.S. Naval Observatory. The eclipse timers use NASA's greatest eclipse instants, which are a clean global anchor even when local viewing times vary.
For the total solar eclipse, the path of totality crosses the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain. For the partial lunar eclipse, visibility spans the eastern Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. Local observing plans still need a sky map and local weather.
Next up
June solstice
Jun 21, 2026 · 08:24 · UTC
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2026 solstices, equinoxes and eclipses in UTC
- June solsticeSunday, June 21, 2026
The June solstice occurs on June 21, 2026 at 08:24 UTC according to the U.S. Naval Observatory Earth seasons data.
- Total solar eclipseWednesday, August 12, 2026
NASA lists the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse as total, with greatest eclipse at 17:47:05 TD and totality visible along a narrow path through the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
- Partial lunar eclipseFriday, August 28, 2026
NASA lists the August 28, 2026 lunar eclipse as partial, with greatest eclipse at 04:14:04 TD and visibility across the eastern Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa.
- September equinoxWednesday, September 23, 2026
The September equinox occurs on September 23, 2026 at 00:05 UTC according to the U.S. Naval Observatory Earth seasons data.
- December solsticeMonday, December 21, 2026
The December solstice occurs on December 21, 2026 at 20:50 UTC according to the U.S. Naval Observatory Earth seasons data.
Frequently asked questions
Why are all astronomy timers in UTC?
Solstices, equinoxes and eclipse greatest moments are global instants. UTC avoids mixing local civil time zones with events that happen at the same moment worldwide.
Will the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse be visible everywhere?
No. NASA lists the total path through the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain, with a wider partial eclipse region. Visibility depends on location, horizon and weather.
What does greatest eclipse mean?
For these import timers, greatest eclipse is used as the global anchor: the instant NASA uses in its eclipse decade tables for the closest or deepest alignment of the eclipse geometry.