There is one universal unspoken truth about every solar eclipse viewing party: 90% of the time you spend there will be waiting. Nobody talks about this part. This is exactly the moment that Would You Rather Solar Eclipse Questions turn a boring, awkward group stare at the sky into the best part of the whole day.

These questions don't just kill time. They reveal things about the people you're with that normal small talk never will. Today we'll break down how they work, why they blew up, and give you every question you'll ever need for the next eclipse.

What Are Would You Rather Solar Eclipse Questions, Anyway?

These are themed either/or dilemmas built exclusively around the weird, specific, shared experience of watching a solar eclipse. Every option ties to something anyone at an eclipse event will immediately recognise. There are no generic choices here.

They exploded during the 2024 total solar eclipse, when millions of strangers ended up standing shoulder to shoulder in fields and highway pull-offs with nothing to do for an hour. No cards, no phones, just waiting. This is the only icebreaker that works equally well for 12 year old cousins, grumpy uncles, and random strangers standing next to you.

People almost always pull these questions out during three exact eclipse moments:

  • While waiting 15-30 minutes for the partial phase to get noticeable
  • During the weird quiet 90 seconds right before totality hits
  • After totality ends, when everyone is buzzing but no one can speak
Group Size Best Question Style
2-3 close friends Hard moral dilemmas
4-10 family group Silly physical choices
10+ public strangers Low-stakes hot takes

Silly & Chaotic Eclipse Would You Rathers

  • Would you rather accidentally step on everyone's eclipse glasses right before totality, or accidentally scream "IT'S FAKE" at the top of your lungs right as totality starts?
  • Would you rather only ever be able to watch eclipses while standing in a fire ant hill, or only ever watch them while needing to pee really bad?
  • Would you rather your eclipse glasses make everything look neon pink, or make everything sound like you're underwater?
  • Would you rather drop your phone in a cow pat mid totality, or drop your favourite snack right as you sit down?
  • Would you rather have a bird poop directly on your head 10 seconds before totality, or have your hat blow away forever 10 seconds after?
  • Would you rather have to narrate the entire eclipse like a sports commentator, or have to stay completely silent the whole time?
  • Would you rather every photo you take of the eclipse looks like a potato, or every photo everyone else takes looks way better than yours?
  • Would you rather trip and face plant right as everyone gasps for totality, or sneeze non stop for the entire 2 minutes of darkness?
  • Would you rather have to explain what an eclipse is to a very confused stranger for the full hour before, or just pretend you don't speak english?
  • Would you rather bring way too many snacks and have to carry them all home, or bring no snacks and watch everyone else eat?
  • Would you rather your dog barks the entire duration of totality, or your cat hides under the car and won't come out for 3 hours after?
  • Would you rather drive 6 hours for an eclipse that gets fully clouded out, or drive 10 minutes and get the perfect view?
  • Would you rather everyone forgets you're there and leaves you after the eclipse, or you accidentally leave your least favourite cousin behind?
  • Would you rather have to wear your eclipse glasses for 24 full hours after the event, or never be allowed to wear them at all?
  • Would you rather yell the wrong persons name in excitement during totality, or just make a weird unidentifiable noise instead?

Hard Moral Dilemma Eclipse Questions

  • Would you rather give your last pair of eclipse glasses to a scared 7 year old, or keep them for yourself?
  • Would you rather miss this eclipse so your grandparent can see it, or see it and know they never will?
  • Would you rather tell a stranger their eclipse glasses are fake and ruin their day, or say nothing and risk them damaging their eyes?
  • Would you rather wake up all your sleeping friends 2 minutes early for totality, or let them sleep through the whole thing?
  • Would you rather share your perfect viewing spot with 20 loud strangers, or have it all to yourself?
  • Would you rather lie and tell someone the eclipse was amazing when it was fully clouded, or admit they wasted their drive?
  • Would you rather stop to help someone broken down on the highway and miss totality, or drive past and make it on time?
  • Would you rather record the whole eclipse on your phone, or put it down and just watch with your eyes?
  • Would you rather let someone cut in front of you for the good spot, or stand your ground even though they got there 10 minutes later?
  • Would you rather tell your friend their eclipse photos are terrible, or like and comment how amazing they are?
  • Would you rather travel across the world alone for an eclipse, or stay home and watch it with people you love?
  • Would you rather warn the whole group about incoming clouds, or keep quiet so everyone enjoys the last few minutes?
  • Would you rather donate your good eclipse glasses to a school after, or keep them as a souvenir forever?
  • Would you rather explain to a kid that there will be another eclipse in 20 years, or let them think this is the last one ever?
  • Would you rather hold someone's hand during totality even if you don't like them, or stand alone?

Super Fan Vs Normal Person Eclipse Choices

  • Would you rather drive 12 hours for 90 seconds of totality, or stay home and watch the 4 hour NASA stream?
  • Would you rather buy a $500 special eclipse camera, or just use your phone?
  • Would you rather watch every single partial eclipse for the rest of your life, or only ever see one total eclipse?
  • Would you rather be able to explain every detail of eclipse physics, or just feel the magic without understanding it?
  • Would you rather plan your eclipse trip 1 year in advance, or decide to go 2 hours before it starts?
  • Would you rather collect every eclipse souvenir ever made, or have no physical reminder at all?
  • Would you rather watch the eclipse with 1000 other super fans, or watch it alone in your backyard?
  • Would you rather correct every wrong thing people say about eclipses, or just nod and smile?
  • Would you rather stay up all night driving to the path of totality, or sleep in and watch the partial one?
  • Would you rather wear eclipse merch every day for a month after, or never mention you saw it again?
  • Would you rather see 10 partial eclipses, or one single total eclipse?
  • Would you rather follow all the official safety rules perfectly, or do one tiny dumb risky thing just once?
  • Would you rather listen to 3 hours of eclipse podcasts before, or go in completely blind?
  • Would you rather chase eclipses around the world for the rest of your life, or never leave your home town for one ever again?
  • Would you rather know exactly what totality will feel like beforehand, or go in with zero expectations?

Weird But Realistic Eclipse Scenarios

  • Would you rather have your car battery die right after the eclipse ends, or right before it starts?
  • Would you rather it rains 1 minute after totality ends, or 1 minute before it starts?
  • Would you rather sit in 3 hours of traffic going to the eclipse, or 5 hours of traffic coming home?
  • Would you rather forget your eclipse glasses but remember the snacks, or forget the snacks but remember the glasses?
  • Would you rather have no cell service for the whole day, or have your phone blow up with messages the entire time?
  • Would you rather be the only person who brought chairs, or the only person who didn't?
  • Would you rather show up 2 hours too early, or 2 minutes too late?
  • Would you rather someone keeps talking the entire totality, or nobody says a single word the whole time?
  • Would you rather get sunburnt waiting for the eclipse, or get freezing cold during totality?
  • Would you rather step in dog poo on the way to the spot, or on the way back?
  • Would you rather your alarm doesn't go off and you sleep through the eclipse, or you wake up 3 hours early and can't fall back asleep?
  • Would you rather bring the wrong glasses, or break them right as you get there?
  • Would you rather have a fly land on your face for the entire totality, or have your nose start running uncontrollably?
  • Would you rather park 2 miles away and walk, or sit in idling traffic for an hour?
  • Would you rather everyone takes photos the whole time, or nobody takes any at all?

Hypothetical Magic Eclipse Choices

  • Would you rather be able to pause totality for as long as you want once, or be able to watch every eclipse that will ever happen?
  • Would you rather one wish comes true if you say it during totality, or you never forget how totality felt for the rest of your life?
  • Would you rather totality lasts 1 full hour, or it stays that weird golden twilight light forever?
  • Would you rather be the only person in the world who can see the eclipse, or have every single human on earth watch it at the same time?
  • Would you rather see an eclipse from the moon, or see one from the bottom of the ocean?
  • Would you rather animals can talk during totality, or all electronics turn off completely?
  • Would you rather every eclipse happens on your birthday, or you never have to work on any eclipse day ever?
  • Would you rather bring one person back from the dead to watch one eclipse with you, or you get to watch 1000 eclipses yourself?
  • Would you rather the eclipse makes everyone completely honest for 10 minutes, or it makes everyone laugh non stop?
  • Would you rather it snows during totality in the middle of summer, or it is 90 degrees during a winter eclipse?
  • Would you rather know the exact day the next eclipse will kill all power on earth, or never find out?
  • Would you rather watch an eclipse with anyone who ever lived, or watch one with anyone who will ever live?
  • Would you rather totality sounds like a choir singing, or it sounds like absolute perfect silence?
  • Would you rather you can feel the moon moving over the sun, or you can feel every single person watching at the same time?
  • Would you rather this was the last eclipse that ever happens, or they happen once every month forever?

Frequently Asked Questions about Would You Rather Solar Eclipse Questions

When is the best time to ask these questions?

The absolute best window is 5 to 10 minutes right before totality hits. Everyone is already gathered, nervous, and not yet distracted by the event itself. They also work great during post-eclipse car rides home.

Why are these questions more fun than normal would you rather?

Every single person in the group is currently experiencing the exact same context. There is no inside knowledge required, and everyone already cares about the topic. This removes almost all awkwardness from group icebreakers.

Can I use these for partial eclipses too?

Yes, they work perfectly for partial eclipses, annular eclipses and even lunar eclipses. Just adjust any totality references to the peak moment of the event you are watching.

How many questions should I prepare for a viewing party?

Plan for about 10 to 15 questions per hour of waiting time. You will almost certainly not get through all of them, as good questions will spark 5 to 10 minute debates all on their own.

Are these appropriate for kids?

Almost all questions on this list are fully family friendly. You can skip the moral dilemma section for very young children and stick to the silly category first.

Why did these get popular in 2024?

Millions of people found themselves waiting with strangers for hours with no internet or entertainment. People started yelling these questions out across parking lots, and they spread completely organically.

Can I modify these questions?

Absolutely. The best eclipse would you rather questions are always the ones you tweak to match your group, your location, or the specific eclipse you are watching. Add inside jokes whenever you can.

What if nobody agrees on an answer?

That is the entire point. There are no correct answers here. The fun part is watching people defend their weird choices and explain things about themselves they would never normally share.

Should I write these down beforehand?

Yes. Nobody can think of good questions on the spot when they are nervous and excited. Save this list to your phone offline before you leave for the eclipse viewing spot.

Eclipses are not really about the sun and the moon. They are about standing next to other humans for a few minutes, all looking the same way, all feeling the same quiet weird excitement. These questions don't just kill time. They turn that quiet shared moment into something you will remember long after the sun comes back.

Save this page to your phone right now, before you forget. The next time you are standing in a field squinting up at the sky, pull this list out. Ask the first question. And get ready to learn something very stupid, and very true, about everyone standing next to you.