What's Up: August 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Summary: August 2026 features a total solar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, Venus at its brightest in the evening sky, and a partial lunar eclipse.
In August 2026, skywatchers can anticipate several significant celestial events. A total solar eclipse will occur on August 12th, crossing Northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and Northern Spain, with a partial eclipse visible across parts of the United States. The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the evening of August 12th into the early morning of the 13th, offering ideal viewing conditions due to a new moon. Venus will reach its greatest eastern elongation from August 14th to 16th, appearing as a bright object low in the western sky after sunset. Finally, a partial lunar eclipse will take place on August 27th-28th, visible across much of North and South America, and parts of Europe and Africa, with the moon taking on a rusty, coppery tint.
Playback guide
1. time: 0:00 label: Solar Eclipse introduction 2. time: 0:02 label: Meteor Shower introduction 3. time: 0:04 label: Venus introduction 4. time: 0:06 label: Lunar Eclipse introduction 5. time: 0:09 label: Title Card: What's Up Skywatching Highlights August 2026 6. time: 0:11 label: Total Solar Eclipse (August 12) 7. time: 0:23 label: Partial Solar Eclipse visibility in US 8. time: 0:35 label: Solar eclipse safety 9. time: 0:41 label: Perseid Meteor Shower Peak (August 12-13) 10. time: 0:51 label: New Moon's effect on Perseid viewing 11. time: 0:57 label: Comet Swift-Tuttle and Perseids 12. time: 1:11 label: How to view Perseid Meteor Shower 13. time: 1:28 label: Venus at greatest eastern elongation (August 14-16) 14. time: 1:41 label: Partial Lunar Eclipse (August 27-28) 15. time: 1:53 label: Lunar Eclipse visibility map 16. time: 1:59 label: Lunar Eclipse details and appearance 17. time: 2:16 label: Lunar Eclipse safety 18. time: 2:21 label: Moon phases for August 2026 19. time: 2:26 label: NASA Science Mission Info