2028 Eclipse in Alice Springs and the NT: Times

The short version. Alice Springs is not in the path of totality. It gets a deep partial eclipse, 95.3% of the Sun covered at 12:53pm ACST on Saturday 22 July 2028. Totality starts about 182 km north-east of town, and the best of it is along the Stuart Highway around Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) and Wauchope, with 4 minutes 55 seconds, and at Tennant Creek, with 3 minutes 21 seconds. Everyone needs certified eclipse glasses for the whole eclipse.

Which places in the Northern Territory are in the path?

We calculated each place from NASA's eclipse elements, the same method behind our 2028 eclipse map. All times are ACST, the Territory's time all year.

Place	Eclipse begins	Totality or maximum	Totality lasts	Eclipse ends
Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles)	11:18am	12:48:32pm to 12:53:28pm	4 min 55 s	2:18pm
Wauchope	11:18am	12:48:31pm to 12:53:26pm	4 min 55 s	2:18pm
Ali Curung	11:19am	12:49:17pm to 12:53:59pm	4 min 42 s	2:19pm
Tennant Creek	11:17am	12:48:07pm to 12:51:28pm	3 min 21 s	2:18pm
Epenarra	11:21am	12:51:31pm to 12:54:48pm	3 min 17 s	2:20pm
Barrow Creek	11:19am	12:50:23pm to 12:51:57pm	1 min 34 s	2:19pm
Ti Tree	11:19am	Maximum 12:51pm, 98.4% of the Sun covered	Not total	2:18pm
Elliott	11:13am	Maximum 12:46pm, 97.4% covered	Not total	2:14pm
Aileron	11:19am	Maximum 12:51pm, 97.1% covered	Not total	2:18pm
Alice Springs	11:22am	Maximum 12:53pm, 95.3% covered	Not total	2:20pm
Katherine	11:05am	Maximum 12:39pm, 91.2% covered	Not total	2:09pm
Kings Canyon	11:17am	Maximum 12:48pm, 89.5% covered	Not total	2:16pm
Darwin	10:59am	Maximum 12:32pm, 88.0% covered	Not total	2:03pm
Uluru	11:18am	Maximum 12:48pm, 85.6% covered	Not total	2:15pm

The path crosses the Territory from the West Australian border, past Tennant Creek and down the Stuart Highway to the Barkly and the Davenport Ranges, then into Queensland. Its southern edge passes between Barrow Creek, just inside, and Ti Tree, just outside. Across the rest of the Territory the eclipse is partial.

Chart of the 2028 total solar eclipse in the Northern Territory: totality at Karlu Karlu and Wauchope (4m 55s) and Tennant Creek (3m 21s); Alice Springs 95.3%, Darwin 88.0% of the Sun covered — Totality and coverage for 14 places in the Northern Territory on 22 July 2028 (ACST). Calculated from NASA eclipse elements. Chart: Aura Sight.

Is Alice Springs in the path of totality?

No. Alice Springs gets a deep partial eclipse: 95.3% of the Sun covered at 12:53pm ACST, with the eclipse running from 11:22am to 2:20pm. The light goes strange and dim, but the sky does not go dark, and glasses stay on for the whole eclipse.

For totality, head north on the Stuart Highway. The path starts about 182 km north-east of Alice Springs in a straight line. Barrow Creek is just inside, with 1 minute 34 seconds, so keep going. Ali Curung, Wauchope and Karlu Karlu, close to the centre line, get between 4 minutes 42 seconds and 4 minutes 55 seconds, among the longest totality anywhere in Australia this time. Tennant Creek, the biggest town in the path, gets 3 minutes 21 seconds.

Uluru and Kings Canyon get a partial eclipse of about 86% to 90%. If you are visiting the Red Centre that week, the drive north is the difference between a partial eclipse and totality.

Chart of towns just outside the 2028 eclipse path: Coonabarabran over 99.9% of the Sun covered, Birdsville 99.9%, Newcastle 99.7%, Windorah 99%, Halls Creek 98.3%, Canberra 96.1%, Alice Springs 95.3%, compared with totality in Bedourie, Mudgee and Orange — The almost-total zone on 22 July 2028. Only towns inside the path reach totality; even at 99.9% the eclipse is partial and glasses stay on. Calculated from NASA eclipse elements. Chart: Aura Sight.

How should you plan the trip?

Book early. Tennant Creek, Wauchope and the roadhouses on the Stuart Highway have limited beds and sites.
Be in place the night before. Totality is just before 1pm ACST, so a morning drive from Alice Springs leaves little margin.
Respect Karlu Karlu. It is a sacred site and a conservation reserve. Check NT Parks for access, camping and any eclipse-day arrangements before you plan to be there.
Carry fuel, water and food, and expect the highway to be busier than usual.
Have a backup. If cloud is forecast, other spots along the path may be clear.

Running tours or a roadhouse in the path? See our guide to eclipse planning for tourism operators. If you are coming from Western Australia, our Perth and WA guide covers totality in the Kimberley, and our cloud odds by region show why the centre and north-west are the safest bets for a clear sky.

Do you need eclipse glasses in the Territory?

Yes, everyone does, for the whole eclipse. In Alice Springs, Darwin and Uluru the whole eclipse is partial. In the path, the partial phases before and after totality last about an hour and a half each. Certified glasses stay on from the start of the eclipse to the end, totality included.

Bring glasses with you rather than hoping to buy them on the highway. Our certified eclipse glasses are A$5.45 a pair, and the family eclipse kit has four pairs for A$19.25. Online orders ship until 31 May 2028.

Never use eclipse glasses with binoculars, a telescope, a camera or a phone. Optics need their own solar filter on the front.
Check every pair before use, and throw out any that are scratched, torn or punctured.
Supervise children closely, and fit their glasses before the eclipse starts.

Our guide on photographing the eclipse covers camera filters, and what totality is like explains what to expect in the path.

FAQ

Is Alice Springs in the path of totality in 2028?

No. Alice Springs gets a deep partial eclipse, with 95.3% of the Sun covered at 12:53pm ACST on 22 July 2028. Totality starts about 182 km north-east of town.

Where is the best place in the NT for the 2028 eclipse?

Close to the centre line on the Stuart Highway: Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) and Wauchope get 4 minutes 55 seconds of totality, and Ali Curung 4 minutes 42 seconds.

What time is the eclipse in Tennant Creek?

The eclipse runs from 11:17am to 2:18pm ACST on Saturday 22 July 2028, with totality from 12:48:07pm to 12:51:28pm, 3 minutes 21 seconds.

Does Darwin get a total eclipse in 2028?

No. Darwin gets a partial eclipse, 88.0% of the Sun covered at 12:32pm ACST. Certified eclipse glasses are needed for the whole eclipse.

Is Uluru in the path of totality?

No. Uluru gets a partial eclipse of about 86% at 12:48pm ACST. For totality, head north on the Stuart Highway towards Wauchope and Tennant Creek.

Do I need eclipse glasses in the path of totality?

Yes. The partial phases before and after totality last over an hour each. Certified glasses stay on for the whole eclipse, totality included.

Sources

All checked 12.11.2026.

Times calculated from NASA's Besselian elements for the 22 July 2028 eclipse, Fred Espenak, NASA GSFC, with Delta T of 69.2 s, for each town centre. Near the edge of the path, real durations can differ from the calculation by 10 seconds or more.
The distance to the path is the straight-line distance from Alice Springs to the nearest point of totality, from the same calculation.
ARPANSA, Solar eclipse; American Astronomical Society, Solar eclipse eye safety; NASA, Eclipse safety.