Look Up: The Four Eclipses Arriving in 2022

Don’t worry, no asteroids will be hurtling toward Earth when you look up in 2022 (we hope). Instead, our skies will be graced with a total of four eclipses this year—two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses. 

Stargazing and moon watching have become popular pastimes as life on the ground becomes increasingly hectic. If you feel you need to escape the chaos of Earth for a few precious moments, look up to catch these eclipses in 2022: 

Photo by Getty.

1| May 1 - Solar Eclipse 

The first eclipse of 2022 is exactly 100 days from now. On April 30, a partial solar eclipse will occur at 6:35 p.m. UTC time, which will be around 2:30 a.m. Philippine time. Sadly, this eclipse will only be visible to people living in South/West South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Antarctica. Unless you’re willing to hightail all the way to the southern tip of Chile, you’ll have to settle for seeing this eclipse from your phone come May. 

2| May 16 - Lunar Eclipse 

This year’s first lunar eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse, which means that the entire surface of the Earth’s moon will have a reddish tinge to it, giving it its other name: a blood moon. Unfortunately, this astronomical event will, again, not be visible from the Philippines, but it will be visible at 1:32 a.m. UTC time from South/West Europe, South/West Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.

3| October 25 - Solar Eclipse 

The second solar eclipse of the year will also be a partial eclipse, and it will be even bigger than the first. But sorry, like the first solar eclipse and first lunar eclipse of the year, this one will not be visible from the Philippines. Only those in Europe, South/West Asia, North/East Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean will be able to see this eclipse at 9 a.m. UTC time. 

Photo by GANAPATHY KUMAR/UNSPLASH.

4| November 8 - Lunar Eclipse 

Even though the first three eclipses won’t be visible from the Philippines, the last one will be. We’ll be ending our year with a total lunar eclipse, or blood moon, on November 8. Save this date, because it will be a six-hour eclipse visible from North/East Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Antarctica.

The eclipse will start at 4:02 p.m. Philippine time, but it won’t be visible from Manila until 6:15 p.m. The eclipse will peak at 6:59 p.m. and stay in the skies until 9:56 p.m.

2022 is sure to be a busy year on the ground and in space.