Eclipse Whisperer

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Total solar eclipse · Saturday, July 22, 2028

Total solar eclipse in The Oaks

The Moon will cover the Sun completely over The Oaks for 3 min 10 s, starting at 13:59 local time. The Sun will be in the north-northwest, about 29° above the horizon. Historically, the sky at that hour has been clear 47% of the time.

Totality

3m10s

from 13:59:06 to 14:02:16 AEST

Clear-sky chance47%rated fair, from 35 years of records
Expected totality1 min 29 slength × clear-sky chance
Where the Sun will beNorthwest, 29°about 3 fists above the horizon, at arm's length
Rank in Australia195 of 26455 s behind Bourke

The Oaks ranks 195 of 264 towns in Australia for length of totality, 55 seconds behind Bourke. From the first bite out of the Sun to the last, the whole eclipse lasts about 2 h 34 min here. The centre line of the path, where totality is longest, passes about 71 km away. Its clear-sky chance is lower than most towns in the path in Australia, so check the list of nearby towns for sunnier options. On about 19% of days in past years, low cloud covered most of the sky at eclipse time, the kind of sea cloud that can clear a few kilometres inland.

All times are local (AEST, UTC+10). They are calculated, not observed, and can differ by a few seconds from what you see in the sky. The clear-sky chance is the share of eclipse-hour readings from 1991 to 2025, over the two weeks around the date, with cloud cover of 30% or less. It describes past weather, so read it as odds rather than a forecast.

NASA advises: “Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.” (NASA eclipse eye safety) You can read more of their guidance, and that of the American Astronomical Society, in Eye safety: what NASA and the AAS advise.

The eclipse, minute by minute

12:40

The Moon begins to cover the Sun.

13:59:06

Totality begins and the Sun is completely covered.

14:02:16

Totality ends and the first sunlight returns.

15:14

The Moon moves clear and the Sun is whole again.

Map

Tap anywhere on the map for the exact length of totality and the clear-sky chance at that spot.

Longer totality or better odds nearby

A short drive can buy a longer totality or better odds of clear sky.

TownPopulationkmTotalityClear
Cobbitty2,00012 northeast3 min 27 s51%
Elderslie4,30014 east3 min 26 s51%
Harrington Park11,00016 east3 min 30 s51%
Mount Annan12,00018 east3 min 29 s51%
Silverdale3,60019 north3 min 32 s47%
Gregory Hills5,00019 east3 min 32 s51%

Eye safety

–days to go

NASA advises: “Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.” (NASA eclipse eye safety) You can read more of their guidance, and that of the American Astronomical Society, in Eye safety: what NASA and the AAS advise.

Before you travel, check your government's official travel advice for Australia, such as the UK Foreign Office, the US State Department or Australia's Smartraveller, and look again at local conditions nearer the date.