Tens of millions of Americans gawked at the skies in unison Monday, transfixed by the celestial spectacle of the decade. A total solar eclipse traced a path from Mexico to the Canadian Maritimes, crisscrossing states from Texas to Maine, before vanishing over the Atlantic.
Experiencing eclipses can be addictive, leaving skywatchers hungry for the next opportunity. And there are many people yearning for another chance because either clouds blocked their view or they were unable to travel into the path.
But, unless you’re willing to travel great distances, it’s going to be awhile before the next total solar eclipse within the contiguous United States. Not until Aug. 23, 2044, to be exact. But if you’re willing to travel to some far-flung locations, the wait could much shorter.
If you’re willing to exit the United States, your next opportunity to bask in the moon’s shadow will come on [Aug. 12, 2026](https://nationaleclipse.com/maps/map_08122026.html). A total solar eclipse will begin over remote extreme northern Russia, then pass near the North Pole before tracking southeastward over eastern Greenland, clipping western Iceland and eventually concluding over the Iberian Peninsula.
Conveniently, the August weather will likely cooperate — Spain’s weather tends to be particularly dry, with a 70 to 80 percent chance of sunshine. Even more important is the Perseid meteor shower, which will be in full swing during the eclipse. It’s possible that a few Perseid “fireballs,” or especially-bright shooting stars, will streak across the sky during totality.
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Tens of millions of Americans gawked at the skies in unison Monday, transfixed by the celestial spectacle of the decade. A total solar eclipse traced a path from Mexico to the Canadian Maritimes, crisscrossing states from Texas to Maine, before vanishing over the Atlantic.
Experiencing eclipses can be addictive, leaving skywatchers hungry for the next opportunity. And there are many people yearning for another chance because either clouds blocked their view or they were unable to travel into the path.
But, unless you’re willing to travel great distances, it’s going to be awhile before the next total solar eclipse within the contiguous United States. Not until Aug. 23, 2044, to be exact. But if you’re willing to travel to some far-flung locations, the wait could much shorter.
If you’re willing to exit the United States, your next opportunity to bask in the moon’s shadow will come on [Aug. 12, 2026](https://nationaleclipse.com/maps/map_08122026.html). A total solar eclipse will begin over remote extreme northern Russia, then pass near the North Pole before tracking southeastward over eastern Greenland, clipping western Iceland and eventually concluding over the Iberian Peninsula.
It will be the first total solar eclipse visible in Iceland since 1954, and the [last until June 26, 2196. ](https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/2101-2200/SE2196Jun26Tprime.html#:~:text=The%20instant%20of%20greatest%20eclipse,Brown%20Lunation%20Number%20of%203383.)Then it will sweep through northern Spain, [sneaking in between Madrid and Barcelona](http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2026_GoogleMapFull.html?Lat=41.64592&Lng=-0.90544&Elv=232.0&Zoom=7&LC=1) before ending as a spectacular sunset eclipse for the island of Palma. (I’ll be renting a house in Zaragoza)
Conveniently, the August weather will likely cooperate — Spain’s weather tends to be particularly dry, with a 70 to 80 percent chance of sunshine. Even more important is the Perseid meteor shower, which will be in full swing during the eclipse. It’s possible that a few Perseid “fireballs,” or especially-bright shooting stars, will streak across the sky during totality.
**Read more:** [**https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/04/09/next-total-solar-eclipse/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/04/09/next-total-solar-eclipse/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)