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A partial solar eclipse is coming: 1 month until the moon takes a 'bite' out of the sun

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A deep partial solar eclipse will grace the Southern Hemisphere on Sept. 21, 2025, with the best views from remote seas and New Zealand's dawn skies.

a partial solar eclipse at sunrise, the sun looks like a large bright crescent in the early morning sky as it rises above the horizon.
 A partial solar eclipse at sunrise over Rice Lake, Ontario, Canada. (Image credit: John Fader via Getty Images)
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On Sunday, Sept. 21, the moon will chew a noticeable "bite" out of the sun; this partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of the Southern Hemisphere and streamed live for skywatchers worldwide.

It's the second and final solar eclipse of 2025, arriving just before the September equinox, a date on which day and night are roughly the same length in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Timings

Starts: 1:29 p.m. EDT (17:29 GMT)

Peaks: 3:41–3:43 p.m. EDT (19:41–19:43 GMT), with about 80% of the sun obscured

Ends: 5:53 p.m. EDT (21:53 GMT)

Roughly 16.6 million people live within regions that will witness some degree of the eclipse. No location will see totality, as this is a partial eclipse only.

Where to watch

The greatest eclipse, where 80% of the sun will be covered, happens over a remote patch of the South Pacific between New Zealand and Antarctica.

Notable locations include:

  • Balleny Islands (uninhabited, under New Zealand jurisdiction): ~78% coverage, starting about 10 minutes after sunrise
  • Zucchelli Station (Italian Antarctic base): ~72% coverage
  • McMurdo Station (U.S. Antarctic base): ~69% coverage

New Zealand highlights (local time on Sept. 22) according to Time and Date:

  • Auckland: Starts 5:52 a.m., peaks 6:55 a.m. (60% coverage), ends 8:04 a.m.
  • Christchurch / South Island dark-sky regions: Starts 6:03 a.m., peaks 7:08 a.m. (~70% coverage), ends 8:18 a.m.
  • Invercargill and Stewart Island: Starts 6:09 a.m., peaks 7:13 a.m. (~73% coverage), ends 8:22 a.m.

How to watch

The path of the partial solar eclipse on Sept. 21, 2025. (Image credit: Fred Espenak and Michael Zeiler, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on work at EclipseWise.com and GreatAmericanEclipse.com)

As this is a particularly remote eclipse, the majority of observers will likely be watching online. We will be livestreaming the eclipse here on Space.com; more details will be released closer to the time.

If you are in the path of the eclipse and plan on viewing it in person, remember it is never safe to look at the sun directly without adequate eye protection. Always use solar eclipse glasses or solar filters on telescopes, binoculars or cameras to avoid eye damage. Our how to view the sun safely guide is here to help you get the most out of your solar viewing experience.

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Daisy Dobrijevic
Daisy Dobrijevic
Skywatching Editor

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022, having previously worked as a staff writer for All About Space magazine. She completed an editorial internship with BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre, communicating space science to the public.

Daisy holds a PhD in plant physiology and a Master's in Environmental Science. Based in Nottingham, U.K., she covers all things space, with a special focus on solar activity and space weather. She also has a keen interest in astrotourism and is always on the lookout for the next northern lights adventure.

She will be a guest speaker aboard HX's Solar Eclipse Expedition in August 2026 and will join Hurtigruten as an onboard astronomer for a northern lights sailing in January 2027.