Ready for a Cosmic Show? Discover When and Where to Catch the Next Solar and Lunar Eclipses!

It might seem a bit unjust, but the lunar eclipse, which plays a significant role in solar eclipses, gets far less attention than the solar eclipse. Lunar eclipses often occur in the evening or early in the morning, and unfortunately, time doesn’t pause for anyone. Nevertheless, a lunar eclipse, which is a lunar astronomical phenomenon where the Moon is covered by Earth’s shadow, can be seen from the Czech Republic much more frequently than a solar eclipse. While a lunar eclipse doesn’t darken the sky as dramatically as a solar eclipse does, if you find a spot in the countryside away from city lights to watch it, you’ll be able to see many twinkling stars and the beautiful Milky Way. However, the red glow of our lunar neighbor has also historically been associated with fear and seen as a sign of the apocalypse.

The story of two tipsy stargazers

An astronomer, Peter Horalek, along with the website Astro.cz, tells us that the earliest known mention of a solar eclipse goes back to 2138 BC. This event is noted in the Chinese chronicle known as Shu-King, where it’s connected to the execution of two court astronomers who were meant to inform the emperor about an upcoming total eclipse. Unfortunately, the stargazers had indulged in too much alcohol and failed to warn him, leaving the populace unprepared to fend off the sleigh, which, according to their beliefs, was trying to consume the Sun. They faced execution for breaking the laws of the time.

Seem petty? Maybe, but people eagerly look forward to solar eclipses, whether to witness one for the first time or to see another one. A partial solar eclipse is set to happen on March 29, 2025, while the total solar eclipse won’t be visible in the Czech Republic until October 7, 2135. Happily, there’s a total solar eclipse in August 2026 that will be observable from Spain and Iceland (it will appear as a partial eclipse, covering 88.5% in the Czech Republic), and another eclipse in August 2027 that will be visible from North Africa and Egypt (also partial in the Czech Republic, at 52%). People in Australia and New Zealand will be able to watch a total solar eclipse in July 2028, while we, back home, can look forward to a Partial annular solar eclipse on June 1, 2030.

Lunar eclipse

The Lunar eclipse also serves as a delightful attraction for celestial phenomenon enthusiasts when the Moon moves into the shadow of the Earth. On March 14, 2025, a partial lunar eclipse will occur, visible in the morning just before sunset. Furthermore, there will be additional lunar eclipses observable in the Czech Republic on September 7, 2025 (this total eclipse will occur as the Moon rises around 8 PM), August 28, 2026 (a partial eclipse, covering 93.5% at around 4:30 AM), and February 21, 2027, when there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse.

The path of Mercury and Venus across the Sun

Aside from solar and lunar eclipses, there are many other celestial events on the horizon. More than 400 years ago, Johannes Kepler predicted that planets could transit across the Sun’s disk. Since the Earth is the third planet from the Sun, we can only observe this phenomenon with the two planets closest to it: Mercury and Venus. Mercury will transit across the Sun’s disk, visible from Earth on the mornings of November 13, 2032, November 7, 2039, and in the afternoon on May 7, 2049.

As for Venus, which orbits at a greater distance from the Sun, witnessing its transit is a much rarer and more spectacular event; we can call it the spectacle of the century without exaggerating. According to Petr Horálek’s calculations, a pair of transits occurs every eight years in June, and then another pair occurs after 105.5 years in December; the next one in June will be 121.5 years later. Since the first documented transit of Venus in 1639, mankind has only recorded seven such events. Those who missed the last pair in 2004 and 2012 might very well miss the next one, which won’t happen until December 11, 2117.

Did you know…?

• If you’re curious about the world of astronomers, you can visit the Renaissance castle in Venice nad Jizerou. The well-known astronomer Tycho Brahe once used it for his observations, likely due to its ideal location on a hill. His family lived on the first floor, and he had his office on the second floor. At his request, they modified and enlarged the window for better views. For precise calculations, he also used the so-called Meridian of Venice (14 degrees 59 minutes and 34 seconds), which is marked on the floor of his former study.
• To embrace the role of an astronomer, you can borrow Renaissance clothing in Venice, along with replicas of Tycho’s instruments, including a sextant and a masonry quadrant. Instructions on how to use them are available right in the exhibition.
• Curious about what you’ll see in the sky in 2025? Check out our article! In the coming months, you can look forward to Lyrids, Perseids, super flares, animal lights, and Orionids.