Wellington Solar Eclipse 2028 (Partial)
Wellington sees a late-afternoon partial eclipse, with the totality path passing farther south across Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island.
Local Times
In UTC on 22 July 2028: first contact 03:12, maximum 04:19, eclipse ends 05:26.
Add this eclipse to your calendar (.ics)
What This Means for Wellington
The Sun remains partially visible throughout the event from Wellington, so certified filters must stay on the entire time. Because maximum occurs late in the day, choose a site with a clear western and northwestern outlook.
Weather and Site Choice
Wind, hill cloud, and fast-changing winter conditions can matter as much as the eclipse path. Use current forecasts and keep a flexible local site plan rather than assuming one waterfront or hilltop location will work.
Cloud-history marker: Varies by source. Use this as background context only; final weather decisions should come from current satellite images, short-range forecasts, and local sky conditions.
Travel Planning
For totality within Aotearoa New Zealand, compare South Island locations such as Christchurch, Dunedin, and Queenstown. Ferries, flights, vehicles, and accommodation may tighten as eclipse travel increases.
For a smoother day, choose a viewing site before arrival, note the nearest toilets and shade, download offline maps, and set a backup meeting point. Carry water, warm layers, a small first-aid kit, and spare certified glasses for anyone in your group who misplaces theirs. Allow extra time for crowds, traffic, and changing weather, and avoid relying on one narrow road or car park.
Build the day around flexibility. Keep fuel, food, water, phone batteries, and printed directions sorted before eclipse morning, because mobile networks and local shops may be under pressure. Share your plan with the group, agree on when you will move if cloud develops, and leave enough margin to change sites calmly instead of racing the weather.
Think about comfort as much as the celestial timing. A good observing site has a broad view toward the Sun, room to sit away from traffic, shade before and after maximum, and a simple exit route. Avoid private land unless you have permission, and leave the site cleaner than you found it.
Safety
Use ISO 12312-2 certified viewing glasses during every partial phase. Cameras, binoculars, and telescopes need proper front-mounted solar filters whenever any part of the bright Sun is visible. Only observers inside totality may briefly view the fully covered Sun without filters, and only during totality itself.
Common Questions
What time is the solar eclipse in Wellington?
In Wellington on 22 July 2028 the partial eclipse begins at 3:12 p.m. NZST, reaches maximum at 4:19 p.m. NZST, and ends at 5:26 p.m. NZST. All times are local. In UTC that is 03:12, 04:19, and 05:26.
Will Wellington see totality in 2028?
No. Wellington is outside the path of totality, so the Sun is never fully covered. The eclipse is partial with a maximum magnitude of 0.850, and certified eye protection is required for the entire event.
Is Wellington in the path of totality?
No. Wellington sees a partial solar eclipse. Reaching totality means travelling into the central path that crosses inland New South Wales and the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Nearby City Guides
All City Guides
- Broome
- Alice Springs
- Bourke
- Dubbo
- Sydney
- Queenstown
- Dunedin
- Melbourne
- Brisbane
- Adelaide
- Perth
- Katoomba
- Orange
- Penrith
- Canberra
- Newcastle
- Uluru/Ayer's Rock
- Wollongong
- Wellington
- Christchurch
- Auckland
Sources
City-center timing and cloud-history notes are cross-checked against Timeanddate circumstances for Wellington and the NASA GSFC path map.