THREE YEARS TO GO

Countdown Begins to Australia’s Spectacular Total Solar Eclipse

24th July 2025

In just under three years, on 22 July 2028, Australia will experience one of nature’s most breathtaking phenomena – a total solar eclipse. For millions of Australians, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the sky go dark in the middle of the day as the Moon completely covers the Sun, revealing the Sun’s glowing white ethereal corona and stars and planets becoming visible in the daytime sky.

What makes this eclipse especially significant is that almost a quarter of Australia’s population, including over 70% of New South Wales’ population live within the path of totality – the narrow track where the Sun will be completely eclipsed. So, this eclipse will offer unprecedented access for millions to experience totality without long-distance travel. It is rare for total solar eclipses to go over major cities, as they often pass over inaccessible land areas or oceans, making the accessibility of the 2028 eclipse particularly special. 

The path of totality on 22 July 2028 first meets the Australian continent on the Kimberley Coast of Western Australia. From there, it travels southeast through Northern Territory, south-west Queensland and into New South Wales passing over or near Kununurra, Tennant Creek, Birdsville, Bourke, Orange, Dubbo and Bathurst before covering the entire Greater Sydney area, then crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

Even those outside the path of totality won’t miss out: a partial eclipse will be visible across all of Australia and New Zealand, with a significant portion of the Sun obscured, offering an unforgettable experience for both cities and remote communities alike.

Totality for this eclipse is relatively long with up to about 5 minutes in Western Australia and Northern Territory, 4 minutes in Queensland and northern New South Wales and over three and a half minutes in Sydney. Only 15% of total eclipses have a duration over 5 minutes, and the maximum possible duration is around 7.5 minutes. 

As anticipation builds, communities along the path of totality are encouraged to begin early planning for infrastructure, tourism, and safety preparations, as the eclipse is expected to draw significant domestic and international attention.

Incredibly, the 2028 eclipse will be the first of four total solar eclipses that will cross the Australian continent between now and 2038. The next three eclipses will take place in 2030, 2037 and 2038. The sequence of five Australian total solar eclipses between 2023-2038 is also rare within such a short period, given there were only four Australian total eclipses in the whole of 1901-2000. 

“Solar eclipses are spectacular and awe-inspiring,” says Professor John Lattanzio, previous President of the Astronomical Society of Australia. “Australia really is the lucky country with four total solar eclipses visible in various parts of the country over a period of just 11 years.” 

“A total solar eclipse has the unique ability to bring a community together in an inspiring shared event,” says former Australian Government Astronomer-at-Large and honorary professor at Macquarie University Fred Watson. “And with this eclipse being total in my home town of Sydney, I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm for eclipses with family and friends.” 

The best place to find out more information about the 22 July 2028 eclipse and the future Australian eclipses to come is the Astronomical Society of Australia eclipse website. Just search “ASA eclipse” or check out: https://eclipse.asa.astronomy.org.au

Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast, a family seeking a memorable event, or simply curious about the natural world, mark your calendars now: 22 July 2028 will be a day to remember right across Australia.