Eclipses: What They Are, Dates for 2026–2028 and How to Stay Calm

News of an eclipse always gathers astronomers, astrology fans and the simply curious. Some go out to watch the sky, others ask whether it is true that "everything changes" in those weeks. Let's look at it without scare stories: why eclipses happen, when the next ones are and what tradition says about them.

What an eclipse is

An eclipse happens when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon line up almost in a straight line.

A solar eclipse happens at the new moon: the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and covers it fully or partly. It is visible only where the Moon's shadow falls on the Earth, and that is usually a narrow strip.

A lunar eclipse happens at the full moon: the Earth stands between the Sun and the Moon, and the Moon enters the Earth's shadow. It can be seen from the whole night side of the Earth, and the Moon often turns coppery red.

Why don't eclipses happen every month? The Moon's orbit is tilted to the Earth's orbit by about five degrees. Most of the time the new or full Moon passes a little above or a little below the Sun–Earth line. An eclipse is possible only when the new moon or full moon coincides with the crossing of these orbits. These points are called the lunar nodes, and they matter in astrology too.

Because of this, eclipses come in "seasons" about every six months, two or three per season. Usually a solar and a lunar eclipse come as a pair, about two weeks apart.

Types of eclipses

• Total solar. The Moon covers the Sun's disk completely, the daytime turns twilight-dim and the solar corona is visible. This is the rarest and most spectacular event, and at any one spot on the Earth it happens on average once in several hundred years.
• Annular. The Moon is far from the Earth and looks slightly smaller than the Sun, so a bright ring remains around it.
• Partial solar. The Moon covers only part of the disk.
• Total lunar. The Moon enters the Earth's shadow completely and turns red.
• Partial lunar. Only part of the disk enters the shadow.
• Penumbral lunar. The Moon passes only through the faint outer shade; there is almost nothing to notice with the naked eye, so astronomers treat such events most calmly.

Eclipse dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

The moments are calculated from planetary positions and given in Greenwich time (UTC); this is the middle of the eclipse. In time zones east of Greenwich the moment may fall on the next calendar day. The sign is given for the Moon at that moment. For solar eclipses the Sun is in the same sign, for lunar eclipses in the opposite one.

2026

• 17 February: annular solar eclipse, Aquarius
• 3 March: total lunar eclipse, Virgo
• 12 August: total solar eclipse, Leo
• 28 August: partial lunar eclipse, Pisces

2027

• 6 February: annular solar eclipse, Aquarius
• 20 February: penumbral lunar eclipse, Virgo
• 18 July: penumbral lunar eclipse, Capricorn
• 2 August: total solar eclipse, Leo
• 17 August: penumbral lunar eclipse, Aquarius

2028

• 12 January: partial lunar eclipse, Cancer
• 26 January: annular solar eclipse, Aquarius
• 6 July: partial lunar eclipse, Capricorn
• 22 July: total solar eclipse, Cancer
• 31 December: total lunar eclipse, Cancer

At the time this article was published, the next eclipse is on 6 February 2027.

What astrological tradition says

In astrology, eclipses are seen as powerful points, moments of a "reset". Traditionally they are linked to the theme of endings and beginnings:

• a solar eclipse, as an amplified new moon, speaks of new beginnings, a change of direction, something new appearing in life;
• a lunar eclipse, as an amplified full moon, speaks of completion, an outcome, of what becomes visible and what it is time to let go.

The theme of an eclipse is believed to "sound" for about half a year, until the next eclipse season, and to be especially noticeable for those who have a planet or an important point (Sun, Moon, Ascendant) at these degrees in their birth chart. The sign of the eclipse shows the area of life: an eclipse in Leo is about creativity, self-expression, children and recognition, in Aquarius about friends, communities and freedom, in Virgo about work habits and order in daily life.

Astrologers usually advise not to make urgent decisions "in the heat of the moment" in the days around an eclipse, not to expect miracles from the event and not to start big things on the very day: it is a time to observe, not to force things.

The skeptical view

There is no scientific evidence that eclipses affect people. For an astronomer an eclipse is geometry: shadow and light. All the talk of "eclipses changing destiny" rests on tradition and on confirmation bias: in any period there is something in life that can be called a change, and if you expect it after an eclipse, it "confirms" itself.

But eclipses have a use without any mysticism: they are a reason to lift your head to the sky, to stop and ask yourself what you have finished and what you want to begin. If astrology speaks to you, use it as a "calendar mark for a talk with yourself", not as a reason for worry.

Old fears and what to do with them

In many cultures eclipses were frightening: people thought the Sun had been "eaten" or that the sky was warning of trouble. Folk beliefs from those times remain, for example, "pregnant women must not go outside". There is no proof for them, and the eclipse itself does no harm to a person. The only real danger concerns the eyes.

How to look at the Sun safely. Never look at the Sun (including a partial eclipse) without protection: the retina can be damaged in seconds, and there is no pain. Special eclipse glasses marked ISO 12312-2 or a solar filter for optics will do, and so will the simple projection method: let the light pass through a small hole in a piece of cardboard onto a sheet of paper. Sunglasses, exposed film and CDs are not suitable. A lunar eclipse can be watched without protection, it is safe.

How to spend the time of an eclipse well

1. Look at the sky. For a lunar eclipse it is enough to step outside, for a solar one take protective glasses. It is simply pleasant and commits you to nothing.
2. Take stock. In the days of a lunar eclipse it is good to think about what you have finished or what it is time to finish: a job, a habit, a relationship, a grudge.
3. Write down an intention. In the days of a solar eclipse you can write what you want to begin in the coming months. Not as an "order to the universe", but as a guide for yourself.
4. Do not rush decisions. If an important decision can wait a few days, let it wait: it will not get worse for that.
5. Keep your routine. Sleep, food and a calm day around any "special" dates work better than any advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is an eclipse dangerous? No. The only danger is looking at the Sun without protection. Everything else is superstition and tradition.

When is the next eclipse? 6 February 2027: annular solar eclipse, Aquarius. The next total solar eclipse: 2 August 2027.

How many eclipses are there in a year? From four to seven, counting solar and lunar together. In 2026 there are 4, in 2027 5, in 2028 5.

Does an eclipse affect everyone the same way? In astrology, it is believed that it does not: a lot depends on where it falls in your birth chart. General advice is only a guide.

Will I be able to see the eclipse? A lunar eclipse is visible everywhere it is night at that hour and the sky is clear. A total solar eclipse is visible in a narrow strip, and a partial one in a wider area next to it.

How you can see it in Lilit

In the "Beauty" and "Money" calendars the days of eclipses are marked, and the rating of such a day is never "excellent": it is not a ban but a gentle suggestion not to start anything important. The eclipse dates and the sign are calculated by the program from planetary positions, not by artificial intelligence. This material is for entertainment and information and is not a prediction or medical, legal, psychological or financial advice.