Raleigh, NC – Residents along the Southeast Coast will have chances to watch eclipses in 2026, but astronomers say the region will sit outside the prime viewing corridor for the year’s most dramatic celestial event.
According to astronomical forecasts, four eclipses will occur in 2026, including two solar and two lunar eclipses. While parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and coastal Georgia will see portions of multiple events, the most vivid eclipse views will occur farther west, across the Midwest and Central Plains.
🌕 March 3, 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse (Limited Peak Along the Southeast Coast)
The headline sky event of 2026 is a total lunar eclipse, but the Southeast Coast lies near the eastern edge of optimal visibility.
According to eclipse timing data, the Moon will enter Earth’s darkest shadow during the early morning hours Tuesday, March 3. Viewers in Richmond, Norfolk, Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Wilmington, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Savannah may see partial phases and possibly the beginning of totality, but the Moon will be very low in the western sky as the eclipse reaches its deepest point.
States farther west — including Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas — will experience a longer, darker “Blood Moon” phase with the Moon higher overhead.
👉 Lunar eclipses are safe to view without special glasses.
🌞 August 12, 2026 — Solar Eclipse (Partial Along the Southeast Coast)
A major total solar eclipse will cross Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain later in the year. Along the Southeast Coast, the event will appear only as a partial solar eclipse.
During the late morning hours, the Sun will look slightly obscured across Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. Certified solar eclipse glasses are required for safe viewing.
🌕 August 27–28, 2026 — Partial Lunar Eclipse
A second lunar eclipse later in the summer will also be visible along the Southeast Coast, though only subtle shadowing of the Moon is expected.
🧭 Southeast Coast Eclipse Takeaway
- ⭐ Best local event: March 3 lunar eclipse (limited peak view)
- 👀 Viewing reality: Best moments occur well west of the region
- ☀️ Solar eclipse: Partial only along the coast
