Australia, with its vast open skies and minimal light pollution in many regions, offers a prime vantage point for celestial events – and none more awe-inspiring than a solar eclipse.
Over the coming decades, the continent will be treated to several solar eclipses, including a handful of total and annular ones that promise to darken the midday sun and mesmerise skywatchers across the nation. Below, all the details you need to catch them.
When is the next solar eclipse?
The most recent was a partial solar eclipse occurring on 22 September, 2025. It was be visible from Australia's east coast, New Zealand, and parts of Antarctica. It began at 3:29am AEST, before reaching its peak at 5:41am AEST, and concluding at around 7:53am AEST.
You might have heard talk of a solar eclipse taking place on August 2, 2027. This one is special because it will plunge certain cities into complete darkness for six minutes — one of the longest in recent history. Unfortunately, it won't actually be visible in Australia – if you do want to see it, you'll need to travel to parts of North Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe.
The next total solar eclipse that will be visible in Australia will occur on 22 July 2028, a rare and majestic event that will sweep across the heart of the country. Beginning in the Indian Ocean, its path will cross through the Northern Territory, western Queensland, and New South Wales before exiting the eastern coast. Sydney will witness a breathtaking near-total eclipse – an astronomical event not to be missed.
For Sydney (and much of Australia), this eclipse will be visible just before sunset (around 3:45pm and being at its heigh around 4:30pm AEST), adding symbolic weight to the end of a cycle.
- Sun and Moon Sign: Cancer (Rules home, family, emotional security, and heritage. Themes around these may be activated.)
- Approximate degree: 29° Cancer (A critical or 'anaretic' degree indicating powerful, karmic, and sometimes intense transitions.)
- Astrological type: Total Solar Eclipse (New Moon)
- What house will it be in? The house placement depends on your exact birth chart.
And after that?
Just over two years later, on 25 November 2030, another total solar eclipse (Sagittarius, approximately 2°) will be visible from central Australia. While its path is narrower and more isolated, enthusiasts in Western Australia and parts of South Australia will still have the opportunity to experience a deep partial eclipse.
A particularly unique event will follow on 21 May 2031 (approximately 0° Gemini), when an annular solar eclipse will be visible. Unlike a total eclipse, this phenomenon occurs when the Moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the Sun, leaving a dramatic "ring of fire" in the sky.
Further ahead, on 14 October 2042 (approximately 21° Libra), Australia will witness its next annular eclipse – a 17-year wait that underscores the rarity of such cosmic alignments.
Upcoming solar eclipses visible in Australia:
- 22 July 2028 – Total Solar Eclipse
- 25 November 2030 – Total Solar Eclipse
- 21 May 2031 – Annular Solar Eclipse
- 14 October 2042 – Annular Solar Eclipse
What does a solar eclipse mean astrologically?
Astrologically, a solar eclipse signifies powerful new beginnings and sudden revelations that can redirect your life path. It often brings hidden truths to light, prompting deep personal transformation or shifts in perspective.
The house and sign where the eclipse falls in your birth chart indicate the area of life most affected. Solar eclipses occur during a new moon when the Sun and Moon align with the lunar nodes – points tied to destiny and karmic lessons. Because of this, eclipses are often seen as cosmic catalysts, accelerating events that align you with your soul’s greater purpose.
