Published : 03 Aug 2026, 12:43 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:29 AM
Skywatchers across the world have two reasons to look up on Aug 12, as a solar eclipse and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower fall on the same day.
The solar eclipse will be partial across the UK and Ireland, with the Moon set to obscure roughly 90 percent of the Sun -- the most significant such event in those regions since 1999, reports The Independent.
It will be total in Greenland, Iceland, and Spain.
The Moon will begin moving across the Sun around 6:17pm UK time, with totality reached at approximately 7:12pm.
Anyone planning to watch the eclipse is strongly advised to take precautions, such as using a colander to view the Sun's rays without risking eye damage.
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most popular annual astronomical events, will reach its nightly peak between Aug 12 and 13 -- just hours after the eclipse ends.
Unlike the eclipse, the Perseids require no special equipment or precise timing.
Stargazers are advised to find a dark spot with a low horizon, let their eyes adjust, and scan the sky for streaks of light.
The best viewing window is between midnight and 5:30am UK time.
The two events will not overlap -- the eclipse requires daylight, while the meteor shower only becomes visible after dark.
But the gap between them means the day effectively offers back-to-back celestial spectacles.
The Perseids occur each year when Earth passes through a trail of debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.
The fragments burn up upon entering the atmosphere, producing the bright shooting stars the shower is known for.
Conditions this year are particularly favourable.
A new Moon during the peak means minimal lunar brightness, leaving the night sky darker and clearer for viewing.
The Perseid shower is active from Jul 17 to Aug 24, but the nights around Aug 12 offer the highest rate of meteors per hour.
