There were four eclipses in 2026: an annular solar eclipse on February 17, a total lunar eclipse on March 3, a total solar eclipse on August 12, and a partial lunar eclipse on August 28. This page is a historical reference for 2026. For the next event, use When is the next eclipse?.
Correction, October 12, 2026: The earlier version incorrectly included Europe and Africa in the visibility of the March 3 lunar eclipse and incorrectly assigned every solar eclipse to the North Node and every lunar eclipse to the South Node. Those statements have been corrected. Predictions of inevitable personal changes have been replaced with an explanation of what can actually be calculated.
The four events
| Date in NASA's UT calendar | Eclipse type | Saros series |
|---|---|---|
| February 17, 2026 | Annular solar | 121 |
| March 3, 2026 | Total lunar | 133 |
| August 12, 2026 | Total solar | 126 |
| August 28, 2026 | Partial lunar | 138 |
Dates, types and Saros identifiers were checked against NASA's 2026 eclipse catalog. A Saros series groups related eclipses; it is not a forecast of a repeating personal experience. NASA's catalog distinguishes Universal Time from Dynamical Time. Do not copy a time from one column and label it as the other, or mistake the instant of greatest eclipse for the start at your location.
Visibility is a separate question from zodiac position
A global eclipse date does not mean everyone could see the same phase. A total or annular solar eclipse has a geographically limited central path, with partial visibility over a wider area. A partial solar eclipse has no central path. For a lunar eclipse, the Moon must be above your horizon during the relevant phase. Use a location map rather than a continent list to plan an observation.
The March 3, 2026 lunar eclipse was not visible from Europe or Africa. NASA describes totality across eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific, North and Central America, and far western South America; the visible phase and timing differed by location. See NASA's March eclipse questions and answers for the visibility map.
For the other events, follow the solar-path or lunar-visibility maps linked from NASA's annual catalog. The date alone does not establish that a particular city saw totality, annularity or even a partial eclipse. For future solar observations, follow NASA's eclipse viewing safety guidance.
Why eclipses do not happen every month
A solar eclipse occurs near a new Moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. A lunar eclipse occurs near a full Moon, when the Moon passes through Earth's shadow. The Moon's tilted orbit means most new and full Moons do not have the necessary alignment.
The lunar nodes mark where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic. Solar and lunar eclipses can occur near either lunar node; eclipse type does not assign one exclusively to the North Node and the other to the South Node. Traditions attach different symbolism to these points, but that symbolism is separate from the geometry.
How to compare an eclipse with a birth chart
An astrological comparison asks where the Sun or Moon was in the chosen zodiac and how that degree relates to natal planets or angles. Start with the birth chart calculator to identify your natal positions. Record the zodiac convention, the event moment and any uncertainty in your birth information before interpreting a match.
For orientation, a previous local position check placed the Sun around 20° Leo in the tropical zodiac on August 12, 2026 at 18:00 UTC. That was an approximate nearby sample, not the exact maximum of the eclipse. It also does not support the earlier suggestion of a close Regulus conjunction: Regulus was around 0° Virgo, roughly 10° away. This local calculation check is not an independent certification of astronomical accuracy.
Here is a synthetic example of the comparison method: an event position at 20° Leo and a natal point at 18° Aquarius are 178° apart, or 2° from an exact opposition. That tells you the angular relationship. It does not establish how strongly someone will feel it, or that a relationship, job or health change will occur.
Read the aspects guide for the angular method and the transit guide for interpreting moving positions alongside natal ones. Unknown birth time limits conclusions about angles and houses; a guessed time does not remove that uncertainty.
A useful reflection without a prediction
Some astrologers use solar eclipses as a prompt to consider beginnings and lunar eclipses as a prompt to consider completion. You can ask: “What am I beginning or finishing, and what evidence do I have about my next step?” Record what is actually happening, including when the symbolism does not fit.
An eclipse does not require you to postpone a necessary decision. Assess your real circumstances and available information. The calculation does not diagnose health problems, identify a partner's intentions or determine a financial outcome.
Why keep a past-year guide?
An accurate historical page lets readers check an old chart, compare recorded observations or understand a date mentioned elsewhere. It should keep its original year and clearly distinguish past events from upcoming ones. For a changing calendar use the lunar calendar; for forthcoming eclipses use the next-eclipse page.
Continue through the sky and cycles library to move between the explanation, event calendar and natal calculation.