Total solar eclipse Aug. 12 across Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain

A total solar eclipse will sweep across the Northern Hemisphere on August 12, 2026, NASA’s monthly skywatching guide reports. The path of totality crosses northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and a small corner of Portugal. A partial eclipse will be visible in parts of the United States, from Alaska to North Carolina, with the Moon covering only a portion of the Sun depending on location.

Skywatchers must use certified eclipse glasses or a safe solar viewer whenever any part of the Sun is visible; regular sunglasses are not safe. NASA warns against using binoculars, telescopes or cameras without a solar filter designed for the front of the optics.

That same night, the Perseid meteor shower peaks from late evening on August 12 into the early hours of August 13, 2026. A New Moon on August 12 ensures dark skies. The Perseids occur annually when Earth passes through debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, and the particles burn up as bright streaks. To view them, look toward the northeast after dark for the constellation Perseus, but let your eyes wander across the sky. Find a dark spot and allow 30 minutes for eyes to adjust.

From August 14 to 16, 2026, Venus reaches its greatest eastern elongation, appearing at its widest separation from the Sun during this evening apparition. It will shine low in the western sky after sunset, outshining nearby stars. Through a telescope, Venus will look close to half lit.

On the night of August 27 into August 28, 2026, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible from much of North and South America and parts of Europe and Africa. At maximum, about 93% of the Moon’s diameter will be inside Earth’s dark umbral shadow, causing a dramatic darkening and a rusty, coppery tint along the covered edge. Unlike a solar eclipse, this event is safe to view with the naked eye. Binoculars or a small telescope can reveal Earth’s curved shadow moving across the Moon.