South Island total solar eclipse guide
Totality crosses the South Island between about 4:15 and 4:18 p.m. NZST on 22 July 2028, about an hour before sunset, with the Sun 8 to 11 degrees above the north-west horizon. Milford Sound, Glenorchy and Queenstown get about 2 minutes 55 seconds; Dunedin about 2 minutes 51. Te Anau misses the path by about 2 km, and Christchurch sees only a partial eclipse.
- Totality window
- 4:15–4:18 p.m. NZST
- Sun height
- 8 to 11 degrees, north-west
- Longest
- About 2m 56s, Milford Sound
- Te Anau
- Partial, 2 km outside
Where totality falls in Aotearoa New Zealand
The shadow reaches Fiordland a little after 4:15 p.m. NZST and crosses Otago to the Pacific coast north of Dunedin in about two minutes. The path is roughly 170 km wide here, and because the Sun is so low, the shadow sweeps across the land very fast. Totality is shorter than in Australia, just under three minutes at best, and the centre line runs close to Glenorchy, Queenstown, Clyde and Alexandra before reaching the coast around Dunedin.
| Place | Totality | Maximum (local) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milford Sound / Piopiotahi | 2 m 56 s | 4:16 p.m. NZST | Fiord walls hide the low Sun from the water |
| Glenorchy | 2 m 56 s | 4:16 p.m. | Head of Lake Wakatipu |
| Queenstown | 2 m 54 s | 4:16 p.m. | Lake and mountain basin |
| Arrowtown | 2 m 54 s | 4:17 p.m. | Historic gold town |
| Alexandra and Clyde | 2 m 53 s | 4:17 p.m. | Close to the centre line |
| Cromwell | 2 m 51 s | 4:17 p.m. | Ranges leave the Sun 2 to 4 degrees clear |
| Dunedin and Mosgiel | 2 m 51 s | 4:17 p.m. | Sun only 8 degrees up |
| Middlemarch | 2 m 48 s | 4:17 p.m. | Strath Taieri, open country |
| Roxburgh | 2 m 47 s | 4:17 p.m. | Teviot Valley |
| Wānaka | 2 m 29 s | 4:17 p.m. | Sunniest July record on the track |
| Ranfurly | 2 m 17 s | 4:17 p.m. | Open Maniototo basin |
| Lake Hāwea | 2 m 06 s | 4:17 p.m. | Near the northern edge |
| Te Anau | partial | 4:16 p.m. | The path edge is about 2 km north of town |
| Gore | partial (99.9%) | 4:16 p.m. | Just outside the path |
| Oamaru | partial (99.7%) | 4:18 p.m. | Just outside the path |
| Christchurch | partial (94%) | 4:19 p.m. | Outside the path |
Times were calculated with the site's solver from NASA's Besselian elements. Te Anau is the closest call: the path's southern edge passes about 2 km north of the town, which is within NASA's 1 to 3 km uncertainty for the edge. Drive north toward Milford Sound or east to be sure of totality.
The horizon decides everything
With the Sun 8 to 11 degrees up, mountains matter more than anything else. The town guides measure the terrain toward the Sun from named sites: in Queenstown the Sun is hidden behind Queenstown Hill from the Frankton Track but clear from Bennetts Bluff; in Cromwell the ranges around Lake Dunstan leave it only 2 to 4 degrees clear; in the open Maniototo basin around Ranfurly it is 8 degrees clear; and in Dunedin, Mount Cargill gives the clearest view. Milford Sound has the longest totality, but from the water the fiord walls hide a Sun that low. Use the visibility map to check any spot, and rehearse on a clear afternoon in the week before at 4:15 p.m.
Weather: plan to move, but not far
July cloud along the Aotearoa New Zealand track averages 45 to 80 per cent, according to satellite records in Jay Anderson's eclipse weather analysis. It is sunniest near Wānaka and cloudiest at the southern edge near Te Anau, and a tongue of low cloud often pushes up the valleys from Southland toward Queenstown. Central Otago is frequently clear when the coast is grey, but winter inversions bring fog: Alexandra averages about 24 fog days from March to August. Because the roads are slow in winter, he notes, moving long distances on the day is of limited help; choose a base with options within an hour.
Winter roads and crowds
The eclipse falls on a Saturday in the July school holidays, in the middle of the ski season, eight days after Matariki. Otago Museum's director, Dr Ian Griffin, has warned that the region's roads could struggle. Plan to be in place by early afternoon, carry chains and warm clothing, and check NZTA road conditions for the Crown Range, Lindis Pass and the Milford Road, which can close for avalanche risk. The eclipse ends about 5:20 p.m., just before sunset, so everyone will drive home in the dark on frosty roads; staying the night is safer.
History
The last total solar eclipse seen from Dunedin was on 27 December 1163, before people had settled in Aotearoa. Read about Dunedin's 1163 eclipse, and about Māori and Aboriginal eclipse traditions.
Frequently asked questions
Which Aotearoa New Zealand towns are in the path of totality?
In Fiordland and Otago: Milford Sound, Glenorchy, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wānaka, Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, Ranfurly, Middlemarch, Mosgiel and Dunedin, among others. Te Anau, Gore, Oamaru and Christchurch are outside.
Why does the horizon matter so much in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Because the Sun is only 8 to 11 degrees up at totality. A hill, ridge or tree line that would be irrelevant in Australia can hide it completely, so check your exact site.
Is Te Anau in the path?
No, by about 2 km. That is within the uncertainty of the predicted edge, so drive north toward Milford Sound to be sure of totality.
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