Parts of the Northeast that managed to dodge the clouds were treated to a partial solar eclipse Saturday morning.
A new month always brings fresh reasons to look up, and August is no exception. Not only does August feature the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower, but this month’s skies will also dazzle with planetary alignments and conjunctions, along with eclipses. The fun thing about some of these events is that they overlap, bringing what we could call a buy-one-get-one deal for skywatchers.
Here’s a breakdown of August’s celestial events. On the night of Monday, Aug. 12, Saturn will meet the moon in conjunction. Although they are in conjunction, they only look closer while remaining vast distances apart in space. Because of this wide separation, the best way to view the event is with the naked eye.
On the 12th, six planets will align, featuring Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune and Mars. The planetary parade will be best viewed in the pre-dawn hours. While Uranus and Neptune will require optics to see, the remaining four planets will be visible without any equipment.
August 12 also brings a new moon, causing a total and partial solar eclipse. According to NASA, the total solar eclipse will grace the skies in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small corner of Portugal, while the Northern Hemisphere will experience a partial solar eclipse.
Adding to the show, the Perseid meteor shower is set to peak overnight from Aug. 12 to Aug. 13. Given the new moon on the 12th, this year’s display is expected to be one of the best in years because the skies will be darker, making even the smallest meteors easier to spot. Skywatchers could see up to 100 shooting stars per hour.
The month will close out with the final eclipse of 2026. This deep partial lunar eclipse will leave 96% of the moon shadowed and darkened.
