TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSEFairbanks, United StatesTuesday 21 June 2039 · times in UTC-8
3m 48s
OF TOTAL DARKNESS
The Moon crosses the centre of the Sun but is too far away to cover it, so a complete ring of sunlight remains. It never goes dark and it is never safe to look without a filter.
When the filter comes off →89% COVERED SUN 25° UP 59 km OFF CENTRE
02 · TIMING
When does it happen?
The whole eclipse runs 2h 16m. All times are local, in UTC-8.
07:25 MAX 08:31 09:41
| Phase | LOCAL TIME | SUN |
|---|---|---|
| First contactthe Moon touches the Sun's edge | 07:25 | 18° ENE |
| SUNSET 00:47 NOTHING BELOW THIS LINE IS VISIBLE | ||
| Totality beginshappens after the Sun has set | 08:29 | BELOW HORIZON0° under |
| Maximumthe deepest point | 08:31 | 25° E |
| Totality endshappens after the Sun has set | 08:33 | BELOW HORIZON0° under |
| Last contactthe Sun is whole again | 09:41 | 33° ESE |
Times for the hidden phases are given because they are real — they are simply not observable from here.
03 · DIRECTION
Where do I look?
At maximum the Sun is only 25° above the horizon to the east, so you will want an open view in that direction.
The Sun's height and bearing at maximum, from Fairbanks. The horizon is at 0°.
THE EXPERIENCE
What it will actually be like
At maximum the Moon sits wholly inside the Sun's disc and leaves a complete ring of sunlight. There is no corona and no darkness — the remaining ring is still far too bright to look at — but the light goes strange and flat, and shadows sharpen.
SAFETY
Looking at it without hurting yourself
Keep a certified solar filter on for every part of the eclipse except totality itself. During totality, and only then, it is safe to look with the naked eye — and the filter must go back on the instant the Sun reappears.
Sunglasses, smoked glass, exposed film and phone screens are not filters. If you can see anything else through it, it is not dark enough.
04 · POSITION
Should I travel?
Fairbanks lies inside the path, 59 km from its centre line. The path is 412 km wide here.
THE DAY
- SUNRISE
- 02:57
- SUNSET
- 00:47
- DAY LENGTH
- 21h 50m
REFERENCE FIGURES
- OBSCURATION
- 89%
- COORDINATES
- 64.838° N, 147.716° W
- PATH WIDTH
- 412 km
- SHADOW SPEED
- 2,946 km/h
- SAROS
- 147 · no. 21
- MAGNITUDE
- 0.9636
- GAMMA
- 0.8312
Contact times are accurate to a couple of seconds at the coordinates above. Altitudes are geometric — unrefracted, on the WGS 84 ellipsoid.
NEXT FROM FAIRBANKS
What else is coming here?
The rest of what the sky over Fairbanks has coming, soonest first.