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First solar eclipse of 2025: when and where to watch it

Published

4 months ago

March 20, 2025

Image of Solar eclipse

The first solar eclipse of the year will take place at sunrise on Saturday, March 29, 2025, with parts of North America, Europe, and Africa in the path.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the deepest eclipse will be visible in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, with Canada experiencing up to 94% coverage and the U.S. seeing up to 85%.

Later in the day, western Europe and parts of northwestern Africa will witness a smaller eclipse, with London (30%), Paris (23%), and Berlin (15%) seeing partial coverage.

Observers in Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec may witness a rare “devil’s horns” sunrise, where the partially eclipsed sun appears as two glowing crescents.

The point of greatest eclipse will be in Nunavik, Quebec, where nearly the entire sun will be covered at sunrise.

This event follows the March 13-14 total lunar eclipse, which was seen across North America and even from the Moon via spacecraft.

How to Watch Safely

Experts warn that directly looking at the sun during the eclipse without protection can cause permanent eye damage.

ISO-certified eclipse glasses or solar filters on telescopes and binoculars are recommended for safe viewing.

For those without protective gear, pinhole projectors provide an indirect viewing method by projecting the sun’s image onto a surface.

The American Astronomical Society has a list of verified safe solar viewing equipment suppliers.

Similar Eclipses and What’s Next

This eclipse is similar to the June 10, 2021, annular solar eclipse, which caused a partially eclipsed sunrise in the northeastern U.S.