Eclipses

This site contains info, educational resources, and animations about eclipses.

• Sign up for the Rice Space Institute ECLIPSE NEWSLETTER
• Visit our Texas Eclipse Activation Network site where we are gathering information for the upcoming Texas eclipses of 2023-2024.

Upcoming Eclipses in the Americas

November 19, 2021 Partial Lunar Eclipse

CREDIT: www.greatamericaneclipse.com

December 4, 2021 Polar Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse at midnight? How can that happen?

During the summer in the southern hemisphere, the Sun doesn't set in the Arctic parts of the world, so a solar eclipse is theoretically possible at all hours of the day. At local midnight over Antarctica, there will be a total solar eclipse lasting ~2 minutes. Most ships traveling to this eclipse will observe the eclipse around 3 or 4 am local time, depending on their location.

What else is unusual about this eclipse?  The Sun will actually be in the Constellation Ophiuchus, not part of the traditional 12 signs of the Zodiac but which actually hosts the Sun for a longer time of year than Scorpio.

CREDIT: www.greatamericaneclipse.com

Mercury, Antares, and Mars should be visible during totality and perhaps the Southern Cross above.

October 14, 2023 Annular solar eclipse
April 8, 2024 Total solar eclipse

Eclipse Resources

The following documents are courtesy Rice Space Institute and may be freely copied for noncommercial educational use.

• Lunar Eclipse FAQ
• Lunar Eclipse Observing Worksheet
• Solar Eclipse FAQ
• Solar Eclipse Reading Chart
• Safe Eclipse Observing
• Umbraphile Journal - by Patricia Reiff
  What’s the big deal about eclipses? Seen one, seen ‘em all? Why would you travel 30,000 km for two minutes of totality?
• Teaching Using Immersion - Explaining Magnetism and Eclipses in a Planetarium Dome - by Patricia Reiff and Carolyn Sumners
  Pleiades National Planetarium Conference 2017

Eclipse Animations

View and download eclipse animations of solar and lunar eclipses as seen from various viewpoints

Eclipse Training

View a Solar Eclipse 101 video about the eclipse and safe eclipse viewing practices

Eclipse Archives

The files in the following directories were sourced on various eclipse trips. (Each directory is typically a different photographer). Please contact the photographer or me for permission to use any image or movie for commercial use. --- Patricia Reiff, Science Lead

Past Eclipse Resources:

• Eclipse 2017
• Lunar Eclipse : Jan 20, 2019 - eclipse newsletter
• Annular Eclipse : Jun 21, 2020
  • World map of June 21, 2020 annular eclipse
  • LIVE STREAM of the eclipse
  • Eclipse talk give by Dr. Patricia Reiff 200+ Indian students
• Total Eclipse - May 26, 2021
• Annular Eclipse - June 10, 2021

Most of these trips were organized by the following tour operator: Ring Of Fire Expeditions - http://www.eclipsetours.com/

Eclipse Image Directories:

• Solar Eclipse : Feb 26, 1998
• Lunar Eclipse : Oct 28, 2004
• Solar Eclipse : Mar 29, 2006
• Solar Eclipse : Aug 01, 2008
• Solar Eclipse : Jul 11, 2010
• Solar Eclipse : Nov 13, 2012
• Solar Eclipse : Nov 03, 2013
• Lunar Eclipse : Oct 08, 2014
• Solar Eclipse : Mar 09, 2016
• Solar Eclipse : Aug 21, 2017

Eclipse Tour Summaries:

• 1991 Tour Summary
• 1994 Tour Summary
• 2006 Tour Summary
• 2008 Tour Summary
• 2009 Tour Summary
• 2010 Tour Summary
• 2012 Tour Summary
• 2013 Tour Summary
• 2016 Tour Summary