Overview
- Both a solar eclipse and the expected peak of the Perseid meteor shower fall on 12 August 2026, with the eclipse occurring in daylight and the meteor peak visible after nightfall.
- The new Moon on 12 August will make night skies darker, improving chances of seeing meteors and boosting visibility during the Perseid peak between midnight and about 5:30 a.m.
- The solar eclipse will be a high-coverage partial event in the UK and Ireland at about 90 percent of the Sun covered and will be total along paths through parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
- Observers should use certified eye protection or indirect viewing methods for the eclipse and watch the Perseids from dark, low-horizon sites, allowing roughly 15 minutes for eyes to adjust to the dark.
- The Perseids come from debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle and can produce many bright meteors under dark skies, but local weather and light pollution will be the main limits on what people actually see.