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Total solar eclipse · Saturday, July 22, 2028
Total solar eclipse in Palmerston
The Moon will cover the Sun completely over Palmerston for 2 min 18 s, starting at 16:17 local time. The Sun will be in the northwest, about 8° above the horizon. Historically, the sky at that hour has been clear 28% of the time.
Totality
2m18s
from 16:16:33 to 16:18:51 NZST
Palmerston ranks 22 of 25 towns in New Zealand for length of totality, 37 seconds behind Arthurs Point. From the first bite out of the Sun to the last, the whole eclipse lasts about 2 h 11 min here. The centre line of the path, where totality is longest, passes about 62 km away. Its clear-sky chance is better than about 98% of the towns in the path in New Zealand. On about 26% 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 (NZST, UTC+12). 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
The Moon begins to cover the Sun.
Totality begins and the Sun is completely covered.
Totality ends and the first sunlight returns.
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.
| Town | Population | km | Totality | Clear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waikouaiti | 1,300 | 13 southwest | 2 min 34 s | 28% |
| Port Chalmers | 1,500 | 38 south | 2 min 48 s | 25% |
| Portobello | 1,200 | 42 south | 2 min 49 s | 24% |
| North East Valley | 9,800 | 44 south | 2 min 50 s | 25% |
| Macandrew Bay | 1,700 | 44 south | 2 min 50 s | 25% |
| Wakari | 4,400 | 45 southwest | 2 min 51 s | 25% |
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 New Zealand, such as the UK Foreign Office advice, and look again at local conditions nearer the date.