Overview
- A rare coincidence on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 pairs a daytime solar eclipse with the overnight peak of the Perseid meteor shower, giving skywatchers two major events to view in one 24‑hour period.
- The eclipse’s narrow path of totality will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain, while regions just outside that track — including much of the UK — will see a very deep partial eclipse that will obscure roughly 90% of the Sun in many cities.
- Because the event occurs at New Moon, there will be virtually no moonlight that night, which should make fainter Perseid meteors easier to see and increase the apparent meteor rate under dark skies.
- Observers are urged to follow safety guidance: use certified eclipse glasses or proper solar filters when looking at the Sun and avoid looking at the Sun with the naked eye, and for meteor watching choose dark sites, do not use binoculars or telescopes, and allow about 20 minutes for eyes to adapt.
- The timing and geometry of the eclipse and the Perseid peak are well established and unchanged as of early July 2026, so skywatchers planning travel or public viewing events should make arrangements now and expect increased demand in locations inside the path of totality.