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March 20, 2015 Total Solar Eclipse

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Astronomy: Same day as the March Equinox 2015

It's a Total Solar Eclipse in the Faroe Islands and Svalbard (Norway), and a Partial Solar Eclipse in Europe, northern and eastern Asia and northern and western Africa. The eclipse starts at 07:41 UTC and ends at 11:50 UTC.

This eclipse wasn't visible in Washington DC - Which upcoming eclipses can be seen in your location?

What the Eclipse Looked Like Near the Maximum Point

The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looked like near the maximum point. The curvature of the Moon's path is due to the Earth's rotation.

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Where the Eclipse Was Seen

Try our new interactive eclipse maps. Zoom in and search for accurate eclipse times and visualizations for any location.


Path of the Eclipse Shadow

Regions that saw, at least, a partial eclipse: Europe, Much of Asia, North/West Africa, East in North America, Atlantic, Arctic.

Expand for a list of selected cities where at least part of the total eclipse was visible
Expand for a list of selected cities where the partial eclipse was visible

This eclipse wasn't visible in Washington DC - Which upcoming eclipses can be seen in your location?

Eclipse Shadow Path

Portion of Sun covered by the Moon (Eclipse obscuration)

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The dark areas symbolize night and twilight.

When the Eclipse Happened Worldwide — Timeline

The eclipse started at one location and ended at another. The times below are actual times (in UTC) when the eclipse occurred. This calculation uses a Delta T value of 67.7 seconds.

Eclipse Stages WorldwideUTC TimeLocal Time in Washington DC*
First location to see the partial eclipse beginMar 20 at 07:40:54Mar 20 at 3:40:54 am
First location to see the full eclipse beginMar 20 at 09:09:33Mar 20 at 5:09:33 am
Maximum EclipseMar 20 at 09:45:40Mar 20 at 5:45:40 am
Last location to see the full eclipse endMar 20 at 10:21:22Mar 20 at 6:21:22 am
Last location to see the partial eclipse endMar 20 at 11:50:12Mar 20 at 7:50:12 am

* These local times do not refer to a specific location but indicate the beginning, peak, and end of the eclipse on a global scale, each line referring to a different location. This eclipse isn't visible in Washington DC.

Upcoming eclipses visible in Washington DC

Next Total Solar Eclipse will be on Mar 8 – Mar 9, 2016

Eclipse calculations usually accurate to a few seconds

Countries Where the Eclipse Is Visible

CountryTypeStartEndTotality Duration
Faroe Islands
Total Solar Eclipse
8:37 am WET10:48 am WET3m, 31s
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Total Solar Eclipse
------7m, 49s
Albania
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:32 am CET11:53 am CET---
Algeria
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:47 am GMT11:27 am CET---
Andorra
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:12 am CET11:29 am CET---
Armenia
Partial Solar Eclipse
1:28 pm AMT3:16 pm AZT---
Austria
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:26 am CET11:58 am CET---
Azerbaijan
Partial Solar Eclipse
1:32 pm AZT2:20 pm MSK---
Belarus
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:50 am CET2:20 pm MSK---
Belgium
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:25 am CET11:47 am CET---
Benin
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:10 am WAT9:53 am WAT---
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:31 am CET11:56 am CET---
Bulgaria
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:39 am CET1:06 pm EET---
Burkina Faso
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:55 am GMT9:09 am GMT---
Cabo Verde
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:41 am CVT8:04 am CVT---
Canada
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:04 am NDT7:00 am EDT---
Chad
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:19 am WAT11:54 am EET---
China
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:31 pm ALMT6:46 pm HOVT---
Cote d'Ivoire
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:58 am GMT8:45 am GMT---
Croatia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:29 am CET11:57 am CET---
Cyprus
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:01 am EET12:53 pm EET---
Czechia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:33 am CET12:02 pm CET---
Denmark
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:37 am CET12:02 pm CET---
Egypt
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:41 am EET12:37 pm EET---
Estonia
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:54 am EET1:18 pm EET---
Finland
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:56 am EET1:22 pm EET---
France
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:10 am CET11:47 am CET---
Gambia
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:45 am GMT8:57 am GMT---
Georgia
Partial Solar Eclipse
12:17 pm MSK3:19 pm GET---
Germany
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:25 am CET12:00 noon CET---
Ghana
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:04 am GMT8:46 am GMT---
Gibraltar
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:58 am CET11:07 am CET---
Greece
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:32 am EET1:00 pm EET---
Greenland
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:38 am WGT8:05 am WGT---
Guernsey
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:19 am GMT10:36 am GMT---
Guinea
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:47 am GMT8:54 am GMT---
Guinea-Bissau
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:46 am GMT8:53 am GMT---
Hungary
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:34 am CET12:05 pm CET---
Iceland
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:36 am GMT10:47 am GMT---
Iran
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:32 am EET2:44 pm IRST---
Iraq
Partial Solar Eclipse
12:26 pm AST2:04 pm AST---
Ireland
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:18 am GMT10:38 am GMT---
Isle of Man
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:26 am GMT10:40 am GMT---
Israel
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:13 am IST12:46 pm EET---
Italy
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:14 am CET11:51 am CET---
Jersey
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:19 am GMT10:35 am GMT---
Jordan
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:15 am IST1:46 pm AST---
Kazakhstan
Partial Solar Eclipse
12:28 pm MSK5:48 pm NOVT---
Kosovo
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:36 am CET11:56 am CET---
Kyrgyzstan
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:34 pm ALMT5:32 pm ALMT---
Latvia
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:51 am EET1:17 pm EET---
Lebanon
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:13 am IST12:51 pm EET---
Liberia
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:04 am GMT8:30 am GMT---
Libya
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:06 am CET12:34 pm EET---
Liechtenstein
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:26 am CET11:47 am CET---
Lithuania
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:50 am EET1:15 pm EET---
Luxembourg
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:26 am CET11:46 am CET---
Mali
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:45 am GMT9:40 am GMT---
Malta
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:20 am CET11:33 am CET---
Mauritania
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:41 am GMT9:42 am WET---
Moldova
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:51 am EET1:12 pm EET---
Monaco
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:19 am CET11:38 am CET---
Mongolia
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:29 pm ULAT6:48 pm KRAT---
Montenegro
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:33 am CET11:54 am CET---
Morocco
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:41 am GMT10:08 am WET---
Netherlands
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:27 am CET11:51 am CET---
Niger
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:58 am GMT11:52 am EET---
Nigeria
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:10 am WAT10:02 am WAT---
North Macedonia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:35 am CET11:56 am CET---
Norway
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:40 am CET12:20 pm CET---
Palestine
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:13 am EET12:42 pm IST---
Poland
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:38 am CET12:11 pm CET---
Portugal
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:46 am WET10:17 am WET---
Romania
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:39 am CET1:10 pm EET---
Russia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:48 am CET6:50 pm KRAT---
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:49 am PMDT7:56 am PMDT---
San Marino
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:26 am CET11:46 am CET---
Saudi Arabia
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:22 am EET1:40 pm AST---
Senegal
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:42 am GMT9:07 am GMT---
Serbia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:35 am CET1:00 pm EET---
Sierra Leone
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:55 am GMT8:41 am GMT---
Slovakia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:37 am CET12:05 pm CET---
Slovenia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:29 am CET11:55 am CET---
Spain
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:44 am WET11:30 am CET---
Sudan
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:00 am EET11:41 am EET---
Sweden
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:42 am CET12:16 pm CET---
Switzerland
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:21 am CET11:47 am CET---
Syria
Partial Solar Eclipse
11:11 am EET1:03 pm EET---
Tajikistan
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:41 pm UZT4:22 pm TJT---
Togo
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:09 am GMT8:45 am GMT---
Tunisia
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:08 am CET11:31 am CET---
Turkey
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:44 am EET1:15 pm EET---
Turkmenistan
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:52 pm AQTT4:27 pm UZT---
Ukraine
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:45 am CET1:25 pm EET---
United Kingdom
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:18 am GMT10:51 am GMT---
Uzbekistan
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:53 pm AQTT5:33 pm QYZT---
Vatican City (Holy See)
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:23 am CET11:42 am CET---
Western Sahara
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:41 am GMT9:43 am WET---
Åland Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:54 am EET1:12 pm EET---

All times shown in this table are local time. (Note: more than one time zone is listed.) "Totality duration" gives the time between the start and finish of totality within the entire country (not at one location).

How Many People Can See This Eclipse?

Number of People Seeing...Number of People*Fraction of World Population
Any part of the eclipse1,260,000,00017.05%
At least 10% partial911,000,00012.27%
At least 20% partial835,000,00011.25%
At least 30% partial777,000,00010.47%
At least 40% partial705,000,0009.50%
At least 50% partial576,000,0007.76%
At least 60% partial425,000,0005.72%
At least 70% partial268,000,0003.61%
At least 80% partial116,000,0001.57%
At least 90% partial17,400,0000.23%
Totality or annularity48,6000.0006%

* The number of people refers to the resident population (as a round number) in areas where the eclipse is visible. timeanddate has calculated these numbers using raw population data provided by the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University. The raw data is based on population estimates from the year 2000 to 2020.

An Eclipse Never Comes Alone!

A solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.

Usually, there are two eclipses in a row, but other times, there are three during the same eclipse season.

All eclipses 1900 — 2199

This is the first eclipse this season.

Second eclipse this season: April 4, 2015 — Total Lunar Eclipse