Switzerland is in the better half of Europe for the two great eclipses of these years. On 12 August 2026 more than 90% of the Sun was covered across the country shortly before sunset, 93% in Geneva. On Monday 2 August 2027 the partial eclipse is among the deepest north of the Alps: 61% in Geneva and 55% in Zurich, just after eleven in the morning. Two further partial eclipses come at sunset in January 2028 and at breakfast time in June 2030. The next total eclipse on Swiss soil is on 3 September 2081, when Zurich, Basel and Bern all lie in the path.

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August 2, 2027: partial solar eclipse

Local time. “Sun covered” is the share of the Sun's disc hidden at the best moment that is above the horizon.

January 26, 2028: partial solar eclipse

June 1, 2030: partial solar eclipse

August 12, 2026: partial solar eclipse (past)

12 August 2026: Over 90% Covered at Dusk

From Switzerland the Spanish total eclipse was a very large partial one, and the further south-west, the larger. The Moon began to cross the Sun at about 7:25 p.m. At 8:20 p.m. Geneva had 93% of the disc covered; Lugano and Bern followed with 92%, Basel and Zurich with 91% at 8:18 p.m. The catch was the Sun's height, three or four degrees. On the Plateau that is enough if the view to the west-north-west is open, across a lake for instance, but from most valleys in the Alps and from the foot of the Jura the Sun had already gone behind the mountains. Sunset ended the eclipse everywhere before the Moon had moved off.

2 August 2027: Up to 61% in Geneva

This is the eclipse for which Switzerland is well placed. It is total along the Mediterranean coast of Africa, and the partial phase over Switzerland covers more than half the Sun at a comfortable hour. In Zurich it starts at 10:04 a.m., peaks at 11:07 a.m. with 55% covered and ends at 12:14 p.m. Geneva reaches 61% at 11:04 a.m., Lugano 60% at 11:07 a.m., Bern 57% and Basel 55%. The Sun is nearly 50 degrees high in the south-east, clear of every peak. At this depth the light takes on a slightly cooler tone that an attentive observer may notice, but the Sun remains far too bright to look at; the crescent shows only through eclipse glasses or in a projected image.

2028 and 2030: Geneva Does Best Again, Then Lugano

On 26 January 2028 the Sun sets over Switzerland during a partial eclipse, and how much is seen depends on how far west you are: 47% is covered when the Sun goes down in Geneva, 37% in Bern, 34% in Basel and 29% in Zurich. It begins at 4:40 p.m., so there is less than an hour of it. On Saturday 1 June 2030 an annular eclipse over Greece and Turkey brings a larger partial one in the early morning: 64% in Lugano at 7:11 a.m., 61% in Zurich at 7:13 a.m. and in Geneva at 7:12 a.m. The Sun is only 12 to 14 degrees high, so in the mountains the same warning applies as in 2026, this time for the eastern horizon.

The Total Eclipse of 2081 and the Near Misses

Twice in living memory a total eclipse has passed just outside Switzerland. On 15 February 1961 the path ran through southern France and northern Italy, and 99% of the Sun was covered in Lugano and Geneva. On 11 August 1999 it ran just to the north, through Stuttgart and Munich, leaving Zurich with 97%. In both cases a short journey made the difference between a dim day and a black sky. On 3 September 2081 no journey is needed: the path of totality crosses the north of the country, with 3 minutes 57 seconds in Zurich, 3 minutes 56 seconds in Basel and 2 minutes 48 seconds in Bern. Geneva and Lugano fall outside it. Less than six months later, on 27 February 2082, an annular eclipse puts a ring over Geneva for 5 minutes 33 seconds.

Frequently asked

What time is the solar eclipse on 2 August 2027 in Switzerland?

In Zurich from 10:04 a.m. to 12:14 p.m., with the maximum at 11:07 a.m. In Geneva the maximum is at 11:04 a.m., in Bern and Basel at 11:06 a.m.

How much of the Sun was covered in Switzerland on 12 August 2026?

Between 91% and 93%: 91% in Zurich and Basel, 92% in Bern and Lugano and 93% in Geneva, shortly before sunset.

When is the next total solar eclipse in Switzerland?

On 3 September 2081. Zurich, Basel and Bern are inside the path of totality; Geneva and Ticino are not.

Solar eclipses by country