Overview
- A total solar eclipse will sweep a narrow path across northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and part of Portugal on Aug. 12, offering only a few minutes of full darkness to observers inside that corridor.
- Wide areas outside the path, including many U.S. states from Alaska to the East Coast, will see a partial eclipse that moves through late morning into early afternoon Eastern Time and requires safe viewing gear whenever the Sun is not fully covered.
- The Perseid meteor shower will peak the night of Aug. 12–13 under a new moon, producing darker skies that improve chances of seeing dozens of meteors per hour if weather and light pollution cooperate.
- Space agencies and observatories have planned coordinated science efforts using high‑altitude aircraft, balloons, ground telescopes and livestreams to capture the corona during totality while officials warn the public that ordinary sunglasses do not protect eyes and only certified solar filters or indirect viewing methods are safe.
- A pre-dawn planetary parade of six planets will be visible before sunrise on Aug. 12 and the double feature is already straining supplies and services in prime viewing areas, which could drive last‑minute travel demand and local crowding where weather is clear.