Philadelphia, PA / Trenton, NJ – Residents across Pennsylvania and New Jersey will have opportunities to see eclipses in 2026, but astronomers say the most dramatic views this year will favor the Central and Western United States, leaving much of the Northeast just outside the prime viewing zone.
According to astronomical forecasts, four eclipses will occur in 2026, including two solar and two lunar eclipses. While both states will see portions of several events, timing and geography mean local viewers will miss the longest and most vivid phases of the year’s most anticipated eclipse.
🌕 March 3, 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse (Best Viewed West of PA & NJ)
This is the top eclipse event of 2026 for Americans, but Pennsylvania and New Jersey sit near the eastern edge of optimal viewing.
According to eclipse timing data, the Moon will enter Earth’s darkest shadow during the early morning hours Tuesday, March 3. Cities across the Central and Western U.S. — including Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and the West Coast — will see the eclipse in full, with a long-lasting deep red “Blood Moon.”
In Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, and Atlantic City, the Moon will be low in the western sky as the eclipse peaks. Viewers may see partial phases and possibly the start of totality, but the deepest color and longest duration will occur farther west.
👉 Lunar eclipses are safe to view without special glasses.
🌞 August 12, 2026 — Solar Eclipse (Partial in PA & NJ)
A major total solar eclipse will track across Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain, drawing international attention. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the event will appear only as a partial solar eclipse.
During the late morning hours, the Sun will look slightly obscured statewide. 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 be visible across the region, though only modest shadowing of the Moon is expected, making it a quieter skywatching event.
🧭 Pennsylvania & New Jersey Eclipse Takeaway
- ⭐ Best U.S. viewing: March 3 lunar eclipse (Central & Western states)
- 👀 Local viewing: Partial to early total phases
- ☀️ Solar eclipse: Partial locally; totality occurs overseas
