Partial Solar Eclipse and Perseid Meteor Shower Peak on Same Evening
Parts of the U.S. can view a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday, followed by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower that evening. Europe will see a total solar eclipse.
Wednesday offers a rare celestial double feature: a partial solar eclipse visible in parts of the United States during the day, and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in the evening.
A total solar eclipse will traverse Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a sliver of Portugal on Wednesday, August 12. The eclipse begins around 11:34 a.m. ET, with maximum coverage at 1:46 p.m. ET. While Europe experiences a total eclipse, the northern U.S. will see only a partial event, stretching from Alaska to North Carolina.
Safe viewing of the partial eclipse requires specialized eye protection, such as ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses. Looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage. Regular sunglasses are insufficient for safe observation.
Later on Wednesday evening and into the early morning of Thursday, August 13, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to reach its peak. This annual shower, composed of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, can produce 50 to 100 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. A new moon phase is anticipated, which will reduce moonlight interference and enhance meteor visibility.