Total eclipse — Alaska (2033)
On 30 March 2033 the Moon's shadow crosses Russia's Chukotka and then western and northern Alaska. It is the first total solar eclipse on US soil since 2024, with the Sun hidden low in the sky over snow-covered land.
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The story
On 30 March 2033 there will be a total solar eclipse, in which the Moon completely covers the Sun. The Moon's shadow begins in Chukotka, at the far eastern tip of Russia, crosses the Bering Sea and then runs across Alaska from Nome in the west to Utqiaġvik and Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast. It is the first total solar eclipse on US soil since the eclipse that crossed North America in April 2024.
Totality lasts longest, about 2 minutes 37 seconds, near Utqiaġvik at the northern tip of Alaska. That moment comes at about 18:02 Universal Time, around 10 am local time in Alaska. Because the eclipse happens in the morning at such a high latitude, the Sun is low in the sky, and it turns black above a landscape covered in snow.
The band of totality is unusually wide this time, up to about 780 km. With the Sun so low, the Moon's shadow strikes the ground at a slant. It is like shining a torch at a wall from the side: the patch of light becomes long and wide. As a result, several towns and villages, including Nome, Kotzebue and Point Hope, lie inside the path.
In late March, north-western Alaska is still as cold as midwinter. Camera batteries drain fast and fingers go numb, so preparing for the cold is a large part of planning. On the other hand, the nights are still dark enough at this time of year that there is a chance of seeing aurora on the nights before and after the eclipse. Large cities such as Anchorage and Fairbanks are outside the path of totality.
Viewing guide — where, when, how
During the partial phases before and after totality, the Sun must only be viewed through eclipse glasses or a certified solar filter. Only during totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun, is it safe to look with the naked eye. The weather in Alaska in late March cannot be known in advance, and the chance of cloud is not small, so it is wise to plan to be able to move within the path.
Choose the 2033 eclipse in the event list of NowSky's sky view to replay the low Sun being covered over Alaska on the morning of 30 March. Move the location to Anchorage and you can confirm that only a partial eclipse is seen there. The orbit view shows the cone of the Moon's shadow brushing Alaska at a slant, close to the North Pole.
See this for yourself — open that sky at that moment · replay the moment in the orbit view
Why this eclipse is special
Total eclipses will be scarce in the United States for a while after April 2024. After Alaska in 2033, the next ones are on 23 August 2044, over Montana and North Dakota, and on 12 August 2045, when the shadow crosses the whole country. Many people who saw the 2024 eclipse are therefore watching this one as the only chance in between to see totality on US soil.
A total eclipse is a rare chance to see the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere, which is normally lost in the Sun's glare, with the naked eye. The shape of the corona depends on whether the Sun is in an active or a quiet period. It is still hard to predict exactly what the Sun will be doing in 2033, so the shape of this corona is an open question.
Eclipses and auroras both show how the Sun affects Earth. In an eclipse the Moon blocks the Sun's light. In an aurora, electrically charged particles from the Sun strike Earth's upper atmosphere and make it glow. In late March in Alaska there is a chance to see both on a single trip.
Background and earlier eclipses
Eclipses repeat in a similar form after a cycle of about 18 years and 11 days called a saros. The 2033 eclipse belongs to Saros series 120, and the previous eclipse in this series was on 20 March 2015, seen from Svalbard in Norway and the Faroe Islands. Both eclipses happen in March at high northern latitudes.
The 2033 eclipse is the last total eclipse that Saros 120 will produce. With each eclipse, the shadow of this series has moved a little farther north, and it has now reached the stage of grazing Earth near the North Pole. After this, the centre of the Moon's shadow will miss Earth in this series, and only partial eclipses will follow.
On the American side, the main places in the path are towns and villages along Alaska's western and northern coasts, such as Nome, Kotzebue, Point Hope, Utqiaġvik and Prudhoe Bay. Most of them are not connected by road and must be reached by plane. Totality can also be seen from Chukotka in Russia, but access there is even harder. Places to stay and flights will need to be arranged early.
FAQ
How long is totality?
About 2 minutes 37 seconds at the longest, near Utqiaġvik. It gets shorter toward the edges of the path.
Can it be seen from Anchorage or Fairbanks?
Both cities are outside the path of totality and will see only a partial eclipse. To see totality you need to travel to places inside the path in western and northern Alaska, such as Nome, Kotzebue or Utqiaġvik.
What will the weather be like?
Late March in north-western Alaska is very cold, and there is a real chance of cloud. The weather on the day cannot be known in advance, so plan for the cold and for the option of moving to avoid clouds.
Can I see aurora too?
Nights are still dark in late March, so aurora is possible. During the few minutes of totality, however, the sky only darkens to about twilight, so the nights before and after the eclipse are the realistic time to look for aurora.
Related
- The Great American Eclipse (2017)
- Total eclipse — North Africa & Middle East
- Total solar eclipse of August 2026
- The Sun — object index
- The Moon — object index
Times and figures are approximate — verify with official sources when planning travel. Simulation uses J2000 mean elements.