Topline
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the year’s celestial highlights, reaches its peak this week beneath perfectly dark skies, promising one of the finest displays of “shooting stars” for years. Thanks to a new moon — which will cause a rare total solar eclipse earlier the same day for parts of Europe, and a partial eclipse in parts of North America — Aug. 12 could become one of the most memorable dates on the 2026 astronomy calendar.
Key Facts
The Perseids peak overnight on Aug. 12-13 beneath a new moon, creating ideal viewing conditions. The famous meteor shower runs from July 17 to Aug. 24, according to the American Meteor Society
Under dark skies, observers could see 60 to 100 meteors per hour, including some bright fireballs. However, for those kinds of numbers, the observer needs to be under a dark rural sky.
The best viewing is generally after midnight, when Earth rotates into debris left by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. No telescope is required — just dark skies and patience.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible earlier in the day from eastern Canada and parts of the northeastern U.S., while a total solar eclipse crosses eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Much of Europe will see a deep partial solar eclipse.
Why 2026 Could Be The Best Perseids In Years
The Perseids are the Northern Hemisphere’s best-known meteor shower because they arrive during warm summer nights and regularly produce bright, fast meteors and spectacular fireballs. This year, however, astronomers have another reason to be excited. The shower peaks immediately after the Aug. 12 new moon, meaning there will be virtually no moonlight to wash out fainter meteors. Under genuinely dark skies, observers could see as many as 100 meteors per hour as tiny fragments of Comet Swift-Tuttle burn up in Earth’s atmosphere at around 37 miles per second, according to the American Meteor Society
Perseid Meteor Shower 2026: Where The Best Viewing Will Be
Unlike a solar eclipse, the Perseids don’t require you to be in exactly the right place. Anyone beneath a clear, dark sky can enjoy the display, though the farther you are from city lights, the more meteors you’ll see. Some of the best U.S. locations are International Dark Sky Parks, including Cherry Springs State Park (Pennsylvania), Acadia National Park (Maine), Headlands International Dark Sky Park (Michigan), Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah), Great Basin National Park (Nevada), Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado), Big Bend National Park (Texas), Death Valley National Park (California), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) and Chaco Culture National Historical Park (New Mexico). However, if you’re planning to camp, book well ahead. The Perseids are the year’s most popular meteor shower, and campsites at many of these destinations are often reserved months in advance. For somewhere closer to home, check a light pollution map and head to an area that looks dark.
Partial Solar Eclipse 2026: What North Americans Will See
In the U.S., the farther northeast you are, the bigger the partial eclipse you’ll see. Maine gets the deepest eclipse in the contiguous U.S., with Presque Isle seeing about 28% of the sun covered at 1:50 p.m. EDT and Bangor seeing about 23% at 1:53 p.m. EDT. Meanwhile, Boston will see about 16% at 1:55 p.m. EDT, while New York City will see about 10% at 1:54 p.m. EDT. Alaska gets arguably the best U.S. view, with Fairbanks seeing about 37% of the sun covered at 8:27 a.m. AKDT.
The biggest partial eclipse in North America will be seen from far northern Canada, with Iqaluit in Nunavut seeing about 61% of the sun blocked by the moon at 1:24 p.m. EDT. In even more remote parts of Nunavut near Greenland, the eclipse will be much deeper. Atlantic Canada also gets a terrific view. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, will see about 53% of the sun covered at 3:34 p.m. NDT, while Halifax, Nova Scotia, gets about 31% at 3:00 p.m. ADT.
