The town of Longyearby in the Finnish Alps is no stranger to solar eclipses. On average, the town experiences some form of eclipse every 2.2 years. The most recent solar eclipse was visible on Monday over a large area that included Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The eclipse’s path traveled northeast from Mexico and Texas through 15 states and parts of Canada, with a darkened strip of land that was up to 185 kilometers wide.
Solar eclipses are more common at northern and southern latitudes, such as near the polar regions, where residents see an eclipse about once every 2.2 years on average. Near the equator, eclipses occur approximately once every 2.8 years. The reason for this variation is that the Sun stays above the horizon for longer periods in the summer near the polar regions, providing more opportunities to observe eclipses.
The moon’s shadow did not reach the Earth in the Atlantic or beyond during this particular solar eclipse, so it did not extend to Europe this time. However, in Norway’s Svalbards, particularly in Longyearbyen, some form of eclipse can be expected every 2.2 years on average, including partial and annular solar eclipses.
In Finland, the next eclipse will be visible on March 29, 2025, as a partial eclipse. The last total solar eclipse visible in Finland was in July 1990
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