A partial solar eclipse comes later this month after the total lunar eclipse: Here's when

Two celestial phenomena are set to create beautiful sights for skygazers as they appear in American skies in the coming weeks.

First off, a total lunar eclipse coming this week. The nighttime event will then be followed by a partial solar eclipse expected to be seen in parts of the United States in late March.

A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun and casts a shadow on us, but does not fully block out the sun like it did for the April 2024 eclipse. On the other hand, a total lunar eclipse happens when the moon and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. 

With both events happening this month, here is what you need to know about the lunar eclipse and partial solar eclipse.

When is the next partial solar eclipse?
Skygazers are treated to two solar eclipses in 2025, though both of them will be partial ones.

The first one comes on March 29 and will begin around 4:50 a.m. ET, according to timeanddate.com. It's expected to end just before 8:43 a.m. ET. The peak of the partial eclipse is scheduled to happen around 6:47 a.m. ET.

The second partial solar eclipse of the year is set to happen on Sept. 21, 2025, and will cover parts of Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA.

The next annular eclipse is set to happen on Feb. 17, 2026. NASA says it will be visible in parts of Antarctica, with a partial eclipse visible in Africa, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean.

And a total eclipse, similar to the one in 2024, is set to happen on Aug. 12, 2026. The path of totality is expected to cross Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal, while a partial eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean.

Where is the March 2025 partial solar eclipse visible?
The partial solar eclipse on March 29 will be visible over parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America and the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, NASA said.

According to timeanddate.com, areas primarily in the Northeast U.S. could have a chance at seeing the partial solar eclipse, including New York, Boston and Augusta, Maine.

NASA released a map showing where the partial solar eclipse can be seen.

When is the next lunar eclipse?
This year's total lunar eclipse will be visible over North America, South America, and the Western parts of Europe and Africa on the night of March 13-14.

Those in the U.S. can see the eclipse starting at 11:57 p.m. ET when the penumbral phase begins, during which the moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, or the faint outer part of its shadow, according to NASA. The agency predicts the moon will complete all of the eclipse phases in just over 6 hours and will end at 6 a.m. ET.

Unlike the total solar eclipse in April 2024, the upcoming total lunar eclipse, the first since November 2022, doesn't require special equipment to witness safely.

What is a lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

What is a solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching Earth and leading to a minutes-long period of darkness. 

The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and sometimes confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and birds and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common.

An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth, according to NASA. When this happens the moon appears as a sort of ring around the Sun causing a spectacular display.