On August 12, a total solar eclipse will track across parts of eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, parts of Portugal, northern Russia, and the Atlantic Ocean, while millions of people across Europe and North America will observe a partial eclipse.
A Rare Celestial Double Feature on August 12
Because a solar eclipse can only occur during a new moon, the alignment leaves the night sky entirely moonless.
What North America and U.S. Cities Will See
Because the U.S. lies outside the path of totality, viewers will not experience complete darkness during the day.
Maximum coverage varies significantly by location:
- Fairbanks, Alaska: 37 percent at 8:27 a.m.
- Anchorage, Alaska: 28 percent at 8:21 a.m.
- Bangor, Maine: 24 percent at 1:53 p.m.
- Boston: 16 percent at 1:55 p.m.
- New York: 9 percent at 1:54 p.m.
- Washington, D.C.: 4 percent at 1:53 p.m.
- Detroit: 3 percent at 1:36 p.m.
Much of the United States will see none of the eclipse at all. In Illinois, most central and southern residents will miss the phenomenon, though the Chicago metro area will see a tiny sliver of roughly 0.1 percent around 12:28 p.m.
Eye Safety and Viewing Guidance
NASA emphasizes that removing even a small percentage of the sun’s area does not visibly change daylight, meaning lower coverage percentages can pass unremarked without a filter. However, a small bite is not a safe bite.
According to NASA guidelines, nobody should look at a partially eclipsed sun without protection at any coverage level. Viewers must use eclipse glasses or handheld viewers meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard, rather than regular sunglasses. Cameras, binoculars, and telescopes should never be used unless a purpose-built filter is fitted over the front. Alternatively, observers can use a pinhole projector or watch the shadow cast through the leaves of a tree to project the notched disk onto the ground.
The Perseid Meteor Shower Peak
After sunset on August 12, attention will shift to the Perseid meteor shower, which NASA considers the best meteor shower of the year. Active from July 17 through August 24, the shower reaches its greatest number of meteors on the peak night of August 12 to 13.
Because a new moon on August 12 leaves the sky zero percent illuminated, astronomers anticipate one of the best Perseid displays in years. Very dark locations could see up to 100 meteors per hour, while normal rural locations typically record 30 to 50 meteors per hour.
The meteors are debris fragments shed by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its orbit around the sun. The grains burn up in Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 37 miles per second (59 kilometers per second), according to the American Meteor Society, frequently producing bright, fast meteors, occasional fireballs, and glowing trails lingering across the sky.
Optimal Viewing Conditions
To experience the meteor shower at its best, experts recommend traveling to a Dark Sky Places location or an area that appears dark on a light pollution map. Viewers should allow their eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adapt to the darkness, avoid checking bright smartphone screens, and skip binoculars or telescopes, which restrict the field of view. Meteor showers are best enjoyed with the naked eye because shooting stars can appear anywhere overhead.
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