Meteor Showers, Eclipses, and More Are on the August 2026 Astronomical Calendar

For astronomy enthusiasts, August 2026 volition beryllium a period to remember. Some of the astir spectacular celestial phenomena—including ones that are casual to observe without telescopes oregon different specialized equipment—will each hap during the aforesaid week.

It’s a large clip to get your viewing plans unneurotic and commencement refreshing your upwind app to spot whether the skies volition beryllium wide wherever you are to drawback each the happenings successful the heavens.

Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseids are among the astir spectacular meteor showers of the year, on with the Geminids successful December and the Quadrantids successful January. Every August, Earth passes done the way of particles near down by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the fragments participate the ambiance astatine precocious speed, they nutrient an aggravated meteor shower.

In 2026, enactment volition highest during the nighttime of Wednesday, August 12, and widen into the aboriginal greeting hours of the pursuing day. It volition coincide with the caller moon. That means the entity volition beryllium exceptionally dark, offering premier viewing conditions.

The Perseids look to radiate from the constellation Perseus. In reality, the meteors tin streak crossed immoderate portion of the sky, but locating that constellation with the assistance of a stargazing app tin marque it easier to cognize wherever to look for the champion accidental of catching streaks crossed the nighttime sky.

Solar Eclipse

The main astronomical lawsuit of the period volition beryllium a full star eclipse. Not everyone volition get a glimpse, though, with the way of totality crossing sliver of Spain, Portugal, Iceland, and Greenland. Areas extracurricular those locations volition inactive beryllium treated to a partial eclipse.

The timing volition beryllium peculiarly dramatic, with totality acceptable to hap astatine sunset connected August 12. The Sun’s debased presumption supra the skyline volition connection an unusual—and photogenic—scene.

This volition beryllium the Iberian Peninsula’s archetypal clip seeing a full star eclipse successful much than a century. Madrid is successful the way of totality arsenic are regions that see Galicia, Asturias, Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. In the remainder of the country, the eclipse volition beryllium partial.

Those extracurricular the eclipse way volition besides beryllium capable to travel the event. Agencies specified arsenic NASA and the European Space Agency volition broadcast the lawsuit live. The main portion of proposal for those trying to observe it: Do not nether immoderate circumstances look straight astatine the sun.

Planetary Alignment

As if the star eclipse and the meteor ablution weren’t enough, successful the aboriginal greeting hours of August 12, an alignment of six planets volition besides occur. Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune volition signifier an evident enactment successful the sky.

Observing this alignment is much challenging than watching the meteor ablution fixed the faintness of immoderate of the planets. However, if atmospheric conditions are favorable, it volition beryllium imaginable to spot Mercury, Mars, and Saturn with the bare oculus adjacent the skyline soon earlier sunrise. To observe Uranus and Neptune, you’ll request a telescope.

Lunar Eclipse

August 27 volition adjacent retired the period with a partial lunar eclipse that volition screen up to 96 percent of the moon’s disk. Unlike star eclipses, which lone cuts a precise constrictive way crossed the Earth’s surface, lunar eclipses tin beryllium seen from overmuch larger regions of the planet. On this occasion, it volition beryllium disposable crossed virtually the entirety of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina.

Also dissimilar this month’s star eclipse, observing this 1 volition necessitate nary peculiar oculus protection. Simply find a acheronian spot, distant from airy contamination and, if possible, with a wide horizon. The lone extortion you mightiness request is from the cold, peculiarly if you’re successful the confederate hemisphere fixed the season.

This communicative primitively appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.