A total eclipse of the Sun occurs on Saturday 12 August, 2045 UT, lasting from 15:05–20:16 UT. A dramatic total eclipse will plunge the Sun into darkness for 6 minutes and 6 seconds at maximum, creating an amazing spectacle for observers in a very broad path, 256 km wide at maximum. It will be seen across the central U.S., the eastern Caribbean, and the north-east coast of South America. The partial eclipse will be visible in most of the Americas.
The timings of the phases of the overall eclipse
worldwide are as follows. In any particular
place it will be seen for a significantly shorter
duration as the shadow moves across the Earth:
| Partial eclipse begins: |
15:05:20 UT |
| Total eclipse begins: |
15:59:07 UT |
| Maximum eclipse: |
17:40:58 UT |
| Total eclipse ends: |
19:22:56 UT |
| Partial eclipse ends: |
20:16:41 UT |
During this eclipse the Sun will be 0.526° in apparent
diameter, 1.3% smaller than average. The Moon will be at perigee, making it extremely large.
At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon
will be 0.557°, and at maximum eclipse 0.567°,
which is 6.7% larger than average; hence it will cover the Sun,
making this a total eclipse.
The statistics page has information on the ranges of the sizes of
the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed
information on the Moon's key dates.
The total eclipse will start in the north Pacific before crossing the USA, the Caribbean, and north-eastern South America, making a tremendous spectacle for millions in the path of totality.
Western USA
The path of the total eclipse makes landfall in Northern California at 16:16 UT, near Cape Mendocino. The eclipse is still young at this point, but nevertheless the total eclipse will last for 4 minutes 23 seconds on the centreline, and be visible over a path 229 km (142.3 miles) wide.
The zone of totality moves off across California, Nevada and Utah, passing over Nephi, south of Salt Lake City about 16:29 UT. Nephi should see a spectacular total eclipse lasting almost 5 minutes; well worth a trip south from the city. The path of totality then moves east across Colorado (south of Denver, but over Lamar), through the southwest corner of Kansas (the centreline will be about 80 km (49.7 miles) south of Dodge City), and enters Oklahoma at about 16:48 UT. At this point the total eclipse will last 5 minutes 32 seconds on the centreline.
The centreline of the eclipse passes south of Tulsa — about over Muskogee — at about 16:56 UT, with the path of totality being 247 km (153.5 miles) wide. It then passes into Arkansas, passing just south of Nimrod Lake at 17:00 UT; the eclipse here will last 5 minutes 48 seconds. This same spot saw a total eclipse just 21 years previously on 8 April, 2024. Little Rock will be given a great view of the eclipse, weather permitting.
Southeastern USA, Antilles
From Arkansas, the path of totality moves across Mississippi; it clips the corner of Louisiana, but residents would be well advised to move north, closer to the centreline. It then enters Alabama, with the zone of totality passing between Montgomery and Mobile; although the path is 251 km (156 miles) wide at this point, the best view of the eclipse will be from between the two cities.
The centreline of the eclipse then passes into Florida; Lake Seminole, on the corner of Georgia, should be close enough to the centre to have a good experience of the eclipse, which passes over Altha, Fl, south-west of the lake, at 17:21 UT. Seven years later, the total eclipse of 30 March, 2052 crosses the same spot; part of the incredible USA eclipse bonanza.
The centreline passes along the Florida coast from Apalachee Bay to Waccasassa Bay between 17:24 UT and 17:28 UT; the path of totality is 253 km (157.2 miles) wide here, so much of Florida will be able to see the eclipse, which will last for 6 minutes and 5 seconds on the centreline — a very long total eclipse indeed.
The path of totality crosses Florida and hits the ocean again at about Fort Pierce, at 17:35 UT, heading southeast. The moment of maximum eclipse occurs at 17:40:59 UT, at latitude 25° 53.8' north, longitude 78° 29.5' west, which is between Grand Bahama and Andros. The duration at maximum eclipse is 6 minutes 5.7 seconds, and the path width 255 km (158.4 miles).
Most of the Bahamas are in the zone of totality, which next crosses the Turks and Caicos Islands at 18:00 UT; though the islands are north of the centreline, Providenciales will still see a total eclipse lasting over 3 minutes. The total eclipse next reaches Hispaniola, most of Haiti and the Dominican Republic seeing a spectacular total eclipse between 18:04 UT and 18:10 UT.
South America
The eclipse then crosses the Caribbean, with the centreline hitting the Venezualan coast over the Peninsula de Paria and crossing Trinidad and Tobago about 18:37 UT. The eclipse is waning now, but even so the duration of the total eclipse on the centreline will be 5 minutes 17 seconds, and the path of totality 257 km (159.7 miles) wide.
The eclipse moves down the coasts of Venezuela and Guyana, offering superb views to most people on the centreline, if the sky is clear. Georgetown, Guyana, although not on the centreline, should see a total eclipse of almost 5 minutes at about 18:46 UT. The eclipse then crosses Suriname and French Guiana, entering Brazil about 18:58 UT. The path of totality crosses the Mouths of the Amazon about 19:04 UT, and then continues south-east, finally reaching the Atlantic coast to the north of Recife at 19:18 UT. Even though approaching its final stages, the total eclipse will still last for 3 minutes 34 seconds on the centreline, still an amazing spectacle.
Interactive Map
This map shows the visibility of the eclipse.
The shaded area will see the total solar eclipse; however, near the edges of
this area, the eclipse will be very short. The bold line shows the centre
of the path, where the eclipse will last longest, so this is where you want to be if possible.
Use the zoom controls to zoom in and out; hover your mouse over any
point on the centreline to see the time and
duration of the eclipse at that point. You can pan and zoom the map to
see detail for any part of the eclipse path.
The interactive map is currently not available.
Overview Map
This map sourced from NASA Goddard Space flight Center: GSFC Eclipse Web SiteGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
shows the visibility of the total solar eclipse. It also shows the broader area in which a partial eclipse will be seen. (Click on it for the
full-sized version.)
Eclipse Season and Saros Series
This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:
This is the 39th eclipse in solar Saros series 136.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, solar Saros series 136,
is linked to lunar Saros series 129. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 17:41:10 on 12 Aug UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 17:42:39 on 12 Aug TDT |
| Saros Series | 136 |
Number in Series | 39 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | |
Central Magnitiude | 1.0774 |
| Gamma | 0.2116 |
Path Width (km) | 256 |
| Delta T | 1m29s |
Error | ± 0m25s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | 6m06s |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 151587495 km (92.9%) |
Moon Distance | 357296 km (1.8%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.526° |
Moon Diameter | 0.557° - 0.567° |
| Perigee | 16:41 on 12 Aug UT |
Apogee | 04:14 on 26 Aug UT |
| Contact p1 | 15:05:20 on 12 Aug UT |
Contact p2 | |
| Contact u1 | 15:59:07 on 12 Aug UT |
Contact u2 | 16:02:18 on 12 Aug UT |
| Max eclipse | 17:40:58 on 12 Aug UT |
| Contact u3 | 19:19:45 on 12 Aug UT |
Contact u4 | 19:22:56 on 12 Aug UT |
| Contact p3 | |
Contact p4 | 20:16:41 on 12 Aug UT |
Note that while all dates and times on this site (except
where noted) are in UT, which is within a second of civil time,
the dates and times shown in NASA's eclipse listingsGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
are in the TDT timescale.
The Sun and Moon distances are shown in km, and as a
percentage of their minimum - maximum distances; hence 0%
is the closest possible (Earth's perihelion, or the
Moon's closest possible perigee) and 100% is
the farthest (aphelion, the farthest apogee).
The statistics page has information on the ranges of sizes
of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed
information on the Moon's key dates.
Data last updated: 2015-06-21 22:11:46 UTC.
