What Time Is the Solar Eclipse in 2025?

A solar eclipse is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena, but timing is crucial to witness the event. The next solar eclipse in 2025 will occur on August 12, 2025, and it will be an annular solar eclipse. Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, an annular eclipse happens when the Moon is farther from the Earth in its orbit, causing it to appear smaller than the Sun. As a result, the Sun forms a “ring of fire” around the dark disk of the Moon.

In this article, we’ll dive into when the solar eclipse in 2025 will occur, the viewing times, and other important details about this fascinating event.

What Time Is the Solar Eclipse in 2025?

The timing of the solar eclipse in 2025 will vary depending on your location, as the eclipse will be visible across a specific geographic region. The eclipse on August 12, 2025, will primarily be visible across parts of Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic, and northern parts of Europe.

To give a general idea of the timing, the key stages of the eclipse are as follows:

1. Start of the Eclipse: The eclipse will begin when the Moon starts to move in front of the Sun. For observers in the path of the annular eclipse, the first contact (the start of the partial phase) will happen around 10:20 AM UTC.
   
2. Maximum Eclipse (Annularity): The most dramatic phase of the eclipse, where the “ring of fire” is visible, will occur around 11:50 AM UTC. This is when the Moon will cover the center of the Sun, leaving a bright, fiery ring around the edges. This phase will only last for a few minutes.
   
3. End of the Eclipse: The eclipse will end as the Moon moves away from the Sun’s face. The last contact, marking the end of the partial eclipse, will occur around 1:20 PM UTC.
   

Keep in mind that these times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), so you will need to adjust for your local time zone depending on where you are located. For example:

• For New York (Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, UTC -4):
  
  • Start of the eclipse: 6:20 AM EDT
    
  • Maximum eclipse: 7:50 AM EDT
    
  • End of the eclipse: 9:20 AM EDT
    
• For London (British Summer Time, BST, UTC +1):
  
  • Start of the eclipse: 11:20 AM BST
    
  • Maximum eclipse: 12:50 PM BST
    
  • End of the eclipse: 2:20 PM BST
    

The exact times will vary depending on your specific location within the path of the eclipse.

Path of the Eclipse

The annular solar eclipse on August 12, 2025, will not be visible from all locations on Earth. The path of annularity—the region where observers can see the Sun as a bright ring surrounding the Moon—will pass over a specific area. The eclipse will be visible across the following locations:

• Greenland: Most parts of Greenland will experience the full annular eclipse.
  
• Iceland: The path of annularity will pass through the northern part of Iceland.
  
• Arctic: The eclipse will be visible in the Arctic regions, including parts of the Arctic Ocean.
  
• Northern Europe: Certain regions in northern Europe, especially in countries like the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, will experience a partial solar eclipse, but the annular phase will not be visible.
  

If you are located outside the path of annularity, you may still witness a partial solar eclipse, where the Moon will cover a portion of the Sun, but it won’t form the “ring of fire” effect.

How to Safely View the Solar Eclipse

While the solar eclipse in 2025 will be an exciting event to witness, it’s important to follow proper safety guidelines when observing it. Looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause serious eye damage. Here are some tips for safely viewing the eclipse:

1. Use Solar Eclipse Glasses: Always wear ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses when looking at the Sun. These glasses are specially designed to block harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and protect your eyes during the eclipse.
   
2. Avoid Regular Sunglasses: Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing a solar eclipse. They do not offer the necessary protection for your eyes.
   
3. Use a Solar Filter for Telescopes and Binoculars: If you plan to use telescopes or binoculars, ensure that they have a certified solar filter. Never look at the Sun through a telescope or binoculars without the proper filter, as they can concentrate sunlight and cause serious damage to your eyes.
   
4. Pinhole Projector: If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can use a pinhole projector to safely watch the eclipse indirectly. This is a simple and effective way to observe the event without looking directly at the Sun.
   
5. Supervise Children: If children are viewing the eclipse, make sure they wear their eclipse glasses correctly and understand the importance of never looking at the Sun without protection.
   

Why Solar Eclipses Occur

Solar eclipses, including the one in 2025, occur when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun. For an annular eclipse, this alignment happens when the Moon is slightly farther from Earth in its orbit, making it appear smaller than the Sun. As a result, a bright ring of sunlight is visible around the edges of the Moon.

This specific event—the annular solar eclipse—is relatively rare, and although the phenomenon occurs every 18 months or so somewhere on Earth, any given location only experiences one every several decades.

Conclusion

The solar eclipse of August 12, 2025, will be a thrilling experience for those in the path of annularity. If you are planning to observe this event, make sure to prepare ahead by checking the timing for your location, obtaining the proper viewing equipment, and understanding the phases of the eclipse. Whether you’re in Greenland, Iceland, or northern Europe, this eclipse promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the Sun and the Moon’s beautiful cosmic dance. Don’t forget to follow safety precautions and enjoy the remarkable sight of the “ring of fire”!