There’s something endearing about the way the world rallies around eclipses of the Sun and Moon. Most years, there are several opportunities to experience the incredible phenomenon of one celestial body obscuring another, and one of these dates is coming up soon. On September 21, 2025, a partial solar eclipse is set to take place. Billed as the “equinox eclipse” — because it occurs one day before the autumnal equinox — this particular eclipse event will only be viewable from New Zealand, Antarctica, and parts of the South Pacific.
Experts are expecting 86% lunar coverage of the Sun this time around, with the best views of the crossing likely to occur in the southern parts of New Zealand and from Antarctica’s many research stations. You want the best seats in the house? The Southern Hemisphere is where you need to be.
Unfortunately, this is the last solar eclipse of the year, which means a majority of Earth won’t be privy to walk-outside-your-house-and-look-at-the-sky views of the Moon blocking the Sun. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to watch at all.
How to watch the last solar eclipse of the year
The partial solar eclipse projected to occur on September 21, 2025, arrives one day before the actual equinox, in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. If you’re interested in watching the eclipse unfold, but didn’t plan on packing up and heading for New Zealand or Antarctica, the scientific community has got you covered.
You’ll be able to watch live streams of the eclipse on two reputable sites: Space.com and TimeandDate.com. The latter should have coverage starting around 18:00 UTC, which is sometime between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for U.S. citizens, depending on which time zone you call home.
Should you be one of the lucky denizens of the Southern Hemisphere who will be able to look up at the sky to watch the eclipse, remember to wear proper solar eclipse glasses. The American Astronomical Society also recommends inspecting your solar glasses before use for signs of damage. If you wear prescription glasses, wear your eclipse shades over them, and when you’re done watching, be sure to turn away from the Sun before removing your eclipse glasses.
When is the next partial or full solar eclipse?
Astronomical experts have conveniently mapped out the next several years of projected eclipse events for Earth, both solar and lunar. We have Time and Date AS to thank for this exhaustive list of upcoming eclipses, which shows multiple events occurring each year up to 2035. (You can also customize the search to find events between 1900 and 2199.)
The very first eclipse event of 2026 takes place on February 17, but live views will be confined to the southern parts of South America and Africa, and Antarctica. For those living in the Northeast U.S. and parts of the Great Lakes region, your next best shot at seeing a solar eclipse from your own backyard is on August 12, 2026.
All of Canada will also be able to witness a partial eclipse. If it’s a complete blackout you’re seeking, Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Russia, and Spain are all projected to have total solar eclipse views of the August 12 event.
