See the Notable Past Total Solar Eclipses in the U.S. Since 1778

On April 8, 2024, some areas of the United States will see a rare total solar eclipse. Those on the path to totality will have the opportunity to see the sun completely covered by the moon for a few minutes.

Total solar eclipses are rare and not often seen from the United States. The last time it occurred here was in 2017, and he won’t occur in the United States until 2044.

This is a list of all times when total solar eclipses were recorded in the United States.

Total Solar Eclipse in the United States during the 18th Century

According to NASA, the first recorded total solar eclipse occurred in 1778, just a few years after the United States became an independent nation. The eclipse was visible from the Carolinas to New England and was noted by historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson, according to Mount Vernon, a museum located in former President George Washington’s mansion. Units of Washington’s Army also took notice of the event.

List of total solar eclipses in the United States during the 19th century

1806: According to the National Park Service, the first total solar eclipse of the 19th century occurred in 1806. According to NASA, the path of this eclipse is: You’ll need to run from Arizona across the Midwest to New England.

1869: The next total solar eclipse was recorded in 1869. According to NASA, the path of totality ran from Alaska to the Carolinas. Photos from the event were published in Harper’s Magazine, the service said, marking its first mass publication.

1878: According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse occurred in 1878, and the path of the total solar eclipse arced from Alaska to Louisiana. The park service said the phenomenon was studied by an all-female team of astronomers, and that Thomas Edison himself came to observe the phenomenon with scientific equipment to study the solar corona during eclipses.

List of total solar eclipses in the United States during the 20th century

1900: According to park officials, the first solar eclipse of the 20th century occurred in 1900. The entire path of this eclipse was over Wadesboro, North Carolina.

1918: According to the Park Service, a total solar eclipse was visible from Washington to Florida in June 1918. It was the first time in almost 100 years that a total solar eclipse was visible across the entire continent.

1925: This was followed by another total solar eclipse in January 1925, visible from Minnesota to New England, according to NASA.

1932: Another total solar eclipse was observed in North America in August 1932. NASA said the eclipse’s entire path was mostly over Canada, but it was visible across northern New England, including parts of Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

1963: The next total solar eclipse in the United States did not occur until July 1963. The eclipse was visible in parts of Alaska and northern New England, NASA said.

1970: In March 1970, another total solar eclipse was visible from the southwestern coast of the United States.

1979: The last solar eclipse recorded by NASA in the 20th century occurred in 1979. The eclipse was visible in the Pacific Northwest and parts of Idaho and the Dakotas, but the path of the total solar eclipse primarily passed through Canada.

Total solar eclipse in the United States so far in the 21st century

He is the only total solar eclipse seen in the United States in the 21st century. The first was the 2017 total solar eclipse, which was visible from all over the country. It was the first time such an event had been held since 1918, and millions of people gathered to watch.

The April 8, 2024 solar eclipse will be the next total solar eclipse seen in the United States. The entire path of this eclipse extends northeast from Texas. The eclipse will begin just after 11 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time along Mexico’s Pacific coast, then spread across the United States and Canada. The solar eclipse will leave North America at approximately 5:19 p.m. Summer time.

The solar eclipse is expected to attract millions of spectators. Some of the regions where the event will receive the most attention have already declared local states of emergency to account the expected number of expected visitors.

When will the next total solar eclipse be visible in the United States?

After the April 8 solar eclipse, there will not be a total solar eclipse in the United States for decades. The next total solar eclipse visible from the United States will occur in August 2044.

Total solar eclipses typically occur somewhere in the world every one to three years, but the phenomenon is often only visible from the Earth’s poles or the middle of the oceans.