Is there an eclipse in September 2019?

Was There Really No Eclipse in September 2019? Let’s Clear That Up!

Eclipse season! It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Well, 2019 was a pretty busy year for these celestial events, serving up a grand total of five eclipses. We’re talking three solar eclipses to darken our days (briefly!) and two lunar eclipses to bathe the night in that eerie, reddish glow. But here’s the thing: September? Nada. Zip. Zero eclipses.

So, if you were hoping to catch an eclipse in September of that year, I’m sorry to say you were out of luck. Let’s take a quick look at what did happen in the skies of 2019:

Early in the year, on January 5th and 6th, folks in North/East Asia, parts of North America, and across the Pacific got a glimpse of a partial solar eclipse. Not the most dramatic, but still cool! Then, just a couple of weeks later, on January 20th and 21st, the real show began. A total lunar eclipse! This one was a global superstar, visible from Europe, Asia, Africa, both Americas, and a whole bunch of oceans. Pretty much everyone got a chance to see it.

Fast forward to summer, and July 2nd brought us a total solar eclipse. This was the big one for South America, with lucky viewers experiencing a full four minutes and 33 seconds of totality! Imagine that – the sun completely blotted out! Parts of the Pacific and southern North America got a peek too. Not long after, on July 16th and 17th, a partial lunar eclipse made an appearance. Again, a widely visible event, gracing the skies of Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and both North and South America.

Finally, as the year drew to a close, December 26th delivered an annular solar eclipse. This one was visible from eastern Europe, Asia, Australia, eastern Africa, and the surrounding oceans. An annular eclipse is sometimes called a “ring of fire” eclipse, because the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun, leaving a bright ring visible.

Now, I remember back in September 2015, we had a fantastic total lunar eclipse that was visible right across North America. I was living in insert your location at the time, and I remember insert a brief, personal anecdote about your experience. But sadly, September 2019 just wasn’t an eclipse month. Better luck next time, right?