Lithgow total solar eclipse, 22 July 2028

Lithgow eclipse times (AEST)

Lithgow: eclipse begins 12:38:29 pm · totality 1:58:08 pm to 2:01:48 pm (3 min 40 s) · eclipse ends 3:13:45 pm. The table below has times for every town nearby.

More time than the Mountains

Lithgow is closer to the centre line than Katoomba, so it gets more totality: 3 min 40 s against about 3 min 30 s at Katoomba. Every town in the Lithgow area does well, from Hartley (3 min 37 s) and Rydal (3 min 34 s) to Wallerawang (3 min 41 s). The longest totality is north, in the Capertee Valley.

The Capertee Valley

About 45 minutes north of Lithgow, Capertee (3 min 51 s) and Glen Davis (3 min 51 s) are close to the centre line. Pearsons Lookout, on the Castlereagh Highway, looks across the valley with wide open sky. It is a good choice if you want the most time without driving all the way to Mudgee.

Getting there

Lithgow is at the western end of the Blue Mountains Line, about three hours from Central by train, and on the Great Western Highway. On eclipse weekend the highway through the mountains will be very busy. Travel on Friday, or take the train early on Saturday.

What you'll see in Lithgow, minute by minute

Times are AEST for Lithgow.

1. 12:38:29 pmfirst contact. From Hassans Walls or Lake Wallace, the Moon takes its first small bite. Glasses on.
2. About 1:26 pmabout 50% covered. The winter light over the valley goes flat, and the shadows under the trees turn into small crescents.
3. About 1:42 pmabout 75% covered. Lithgow's July afternoons only reach about 10°C, so you will feel the air chill.
4. About 1:51 pmabout 91% covered. Watch the sky to the north-west, over the ridges towards Wallerawang. It darkens first as the Moon's shadow comes in.
5. 1:58:08 pmthe diamond ring, then totality over Lithgow. Glasses stay on. The valley goes dark and the ridgelines all around glow like sunset.
6. 2:01:48 pmthe second diamond ring and totality ends. Glasses stay on. In the Capertee Valley it lasts a few seconds longer.
7. 3:13:45 pmlast contact. The Moon moves clear and the eclipse over Lithgow is over.

Where to look

At totality the eclipse sits 30° up in the north-north-west (bearing 329° true). Lithgow sits in a valley, so in town the ridges on that side can matter if you are close to them; the lookouts and open lakes avoid this. As a rule, a tree or building blocks the eclipse if you are closer to it than about 1.8 times its height: 18 m from a 10 m tree.

Eclipse times near Lithgow

Times AEST, computed from the JPL DE421 lunar ephemeris with NASA/Espenak Besselian elements. Near the edge of the path, durations can shift by several seconds, so treat edge figures as approximate.

July weather in Lithgow

Lithgow is high and cool, with about 90 clear days a year. Winter cloud often sits on the Great Dividing Range, so watch the forecast from five days out. If Lithgow looks cloudy, the country to the north-west (Mudgee, then Dubbo) is drier and has longer totality.

Where to watch in Lithgow

Quick answers

Keeping your eyes safe

Every second of the eclipse, totality included, needs ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses, from Hassans Walls to the Capertee Valley. Sunglasses, smoked glass and homemade filters are never safe, and a camera, binoculars or a telescope must have a proper solar filter on the front.

For schools, clubs and venues

The eclipse is on a Saturday, so Lithgow schools will need to hand out glasses and run safety lessons by Friday 21 July 2028. Lithgow City Council, clubs and accommodation hosts running viewing events should allow one certified pair per person and order early. We supply bulk cartons, fundraising boxes of 20 to 250 pairs, and custom-branded glasses.

• Eclipse glasses for councils and events
• Custom-branded glasses
• Eclipse glasses for schools
• Eclipse safety plan for schools

Guides for nearby towns

• Katoomba eclipse guide
• Blue Mountains eclipse guide
• Bathurst eclipse guide
• Mudgee eclipse guide
• NSW eclipse guide
• 2028 eclipse times across Australia
• Interactive eclipse map

← Back to the 2028 eclipse guide