The First Solar Eclipse of 2025 Is Coming Up — Here’s How to Prepare

The lunar event that tends to get the most buzz for being dramatic is none other than the solar eclipse. Not to be confused with a lunar eclipse, the solar eclipse is a super-charged new moon that tends to spur stunning shifts and major course changes that can promote growth and encourage fresh starts within reach.

This year, there are two solar eclipses: one partial solar eclipse in late March and another partial solar eclipse in September. With these big lunar events, you can expect some intense, out-of-the-blue changes with both of these solar eclipse shakeups — especially when it comes to one-on-one relationships.

Read on for the meaning of solar eclipses, as well as more information about the 2025 solar eclipses.

A solar eclipse is what happens when the moon casts a shadow on the sun. In general, solar eclipses happen about twice a year, and can be thought of as more intense new moons.

Whether it's taking a go-to spiritual bath or simply chatting about your aspirations with a friend or therapist, there's a variety of ways to make the most of a solar eclipse. Considering eclipse energy is so powerful, it would be in your best interest to dive into an involved ritual to avoid actively working with it. Think of it as a torrential downpour or windstorm: The best way to handle intense weather is by being informed and taking a hands-off approach, allowing the storm clouds to sweep in and do their thing — even if that means they shake your life up in a way you weren't at all prepared for. Then, when the dust settles, you might very well pinpoint a big-picture explanation for the chaos.

In fact, solar eclipses are very much associated with self-exploration. After all, the sun oversees core identity and self-image in astrology, while the moon rules emotions and intuition. So when the moon casts its shadow on the sun, you may be driven to reconcile with how you see yourself. In doing so, you might find it's time to choose a new path.

Solar eclipses happen twice each calendar year. In 2025, here's when you can expect a solar eclipse:

The next solar eclipse occurs on Saturday, March 29 at 6:58 a.m. ET. This super-charged new moon will fall in the sign of Aries.

Maressa Brown is a journalist, author, and astrologer. Her areas of expertise include writing, reporting, and editing lifestyle, pop culture, and parenting content that's both conversational and substantive. In addition to contributing to PS, she writes for a variety of consumer-facing publications including InStyle, Parents, and Shape, and was previously an editor at Cosmopolitan and CafeMom.