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Eclipse, parade of planets and starfall: a unique space show on August 12 that is worth seeing
On August 12, 2026, three bright astronomical phenomena will occur at once: a parade of planets, a total solar eclipse and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Read more about this unique event in the Izvestia article.
What astronomical phenomena will occur on August 12, 2026
On the night of August 12, astronomers and fans of observing the starry sky will not be able to sleep. At this time, a large parade of planets will begin — Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune will line up in one sector of the sky. They form a chain from the eastern to the southwestern horizon. Saturn and Neptune will appear around midnight, Uranus and Mars later, and Jupiter and Mercury will become visible just before dawn.
With the naked eye, you can see Mars and Saturn. Binoculars or a telescope will be required to observe Uranus, Mercury, Jupiter and Neptune.
A total solar eclipse will occur on the afternoon of August 12. The band of totality (a narrow strip of the Earth's surface where you can see the full phase of the eclipse) will pass through Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small area of northwestern Portugal. The full phase will last 2 minutes and 18 seconds.
After sunset, the peak of one of the brightest meteor showers of the year, the Perseid, will begin. The period of their activity lasts from July 17 to August 24, and the maximum will be on the night of August 12-13. In 2026, the conditions for observations are particularly favorable: the peak coincides with the new moon (moon illumination is 0%), so the sky will be extremely dark.
Up to 100-120 meteors per hour are forecast. The particles of the stream fly at a speed of about 210 thousand km per hour and begin to burn up at an altitude of about 70 km above the Ground. The radiant, the apparent source of meteors, is located in the constellation Perseus. The Perseids are best seen in the mid-northern latitudes.
What is known about the eclipse in August 2026
The total solar eclipse on August 12 will be the first visible from mainland Europe since 1999. The full phase (lasting up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds) will take place along a narrow strip — no wider than 270 km — through the northeast of Taimyr, the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, northeast Portugal and the Balearic Islands.
According to Honorary Doctor of Sciences, astrophysicist Sergey Chumakov, the best territories for observing the full or almost full phase in Russia are located in the north of the country.
"The best areas for observing the eclipse, where its maximum phase will be complete or close to complete, are located in the north of our country. It will be possible to see how the lunar disk completely obscures the Sun on the northeastern coast of Taimyr, the islands of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. This is a fairly narrow area on the scale of our planet," the expert said.
In most parts of the country, partial phases will be observed: the moon will cover only part of the solar disk. For example, about 80.8% of the Sun is expected to close in Murmansk, 83% in Arkhangelsk, and 86% in Kaliningrad. In Moscow, the eclipse will be almost imperceptible: at this time, the Sun will be very low above the horizon.
According to him, during the full phase, the sky darkens quickly, planets and bright stars become visible, an annular dawn appears, and the temperature drops. The main sight is the solar corona. There is also a chance to notice the "diamond ring" and "Bailey's rosary".
"From the moment of the first contact and up to the second contact, the illumination on the Ground will decrease. From about phase 0.6, the impending twilight will become noticeable. A few seconds before the full phase, a small area of the Sun's surface remains, and at that moment it shines like a spotlight — this is a "diamond ring". Then a narrow strip of the photosphere is cut by the lunar mountains into separate luminous areas — Bailey's rosary beads," explained Evgeny Verein, a member of the F.Y. Siegel Amateur Astronomers Club.
The eclipse repeats through saros (the period of time after which lunar and solar eclipses begin to roughly repeat each other) the phenomenon of August 1, 2008 and is notable for the fact that it will be sunset.
Experts added that it is important to observe safety precautions while observing the eclipse. Do not look at the sun without protective filters outside the full phase. All optical devices must also be equipped with filters.
"After the appearance of the solar corona, count down the time of the full phase. About 15-20 seconds before the third contact, return the filters and lock them securely. Any optical device is an energy concentrator: even short—term exposure to sunlight can irreversibly damage the retina and lead to blindness!" said Evgeny Verein.
The parade of planets in August: which planets will Russians be able to see
The morning parade of planets on August 12 is an arrangement of several planets in one sector on one side of the Sun. Astronomers do not use the term "parade of planets", as it came from astrology. Instead, the term "alignment" is used. The configuration can be observed before dawn and for about a week after August 12, until Mercury approaches the Sun and becomes invisible.
As Sergey Chumakov noted, a lot depends on the location and the weather.
"We should start from the location: the further south, the higher the planets are visible on a specific date, and vice versa. And, of course, the weather can make its own adjustments: if the area where the observer is located is characterized by frequent clouds, then the conditions for studying the starry sky are extremely poor," explained Sergey Chumakov.
With the naked eye, most observers will have access to only two planets. Mars will appear after two o'clock in the morning in the northeast, low above the horizon ‑ it is easy to recognize it by its bright red unblinking light. Saturn will be located relatively high above the southeastern horizon and will become the brightest object in its sector: it will shine with a slightly golden light.
The rest of the planets will require optics. Evgeny Verein gave detailed recommendations on the search.
"Let's start with Jupiter. Despite the high brightness, the giant planet will be only a few angular degrees from the Sun, and it will not be possible to see it with the naked eye. However, it makes sense to use binoculars and try to find dim Mercury in the already bright dawn sky. I should immediately note that this will not be an easy task even for an experienced observer with the perfect purity of the atmosphere. You need to search above and to the right of the sunrise point. Red Mars can easily be found on the border of the constellations Gemini and Taurus. Between the Pleiades and Aldebaran will be distant Uranus. This planet is not visible to the naked eye, and you will need a telescope or powerful prism binoculars to find it. In the south, in the constellation Pisces, Saturn and Neptune will appear: the first one is clearly visible to the eyes as a rather bright yellowish star of zero magnitude, and the second one can only be found using a telescope," he said.
Experts recommend watching the parade of planets outside the city: light pollution and obstacles on the horizon (buildings, trees) can make Mars almost invisible. The weather forecast is also important, as cloud cover greatly impairs visibility.
To distinguish planets from stars, you need to remember: planets do not twinkle because they have noticeable angular dimensions, and stars "wink" due to fluctuations in the atmosphere. Planetarium programs on a smartphone or star maps can help in the search for celestial bodies.
"Thus, with the naked eye, only two planets can be seen in the sky: Mars and Saturn. It's sparse, and it certainly doesn't look impressive. However, due to the fact that most of the planets are located high above the horizon, the conditions for observing the parade will be favorable almost throughout the country," Evgeny Verein summed up.
The peak of the Perseid meteor shower is on August 12
The Perseid meteor shower will be active from July 17 to August 24, and its peak will be on the night of August 12-13. In 2026, it is especially convenient to observe the Perseids: the maximum activity will coincide with the new moon, so that the sky will be extremely dark. This will allow you to see not only bright, but also weak meteors.
The optimal time for observations is late evening and the wee hours. In the mid-northern latitudes, the radiant in the constellation Perseus reaches a convenient height by about 22:30 local time. Experts recommend watching on both nights — August 12 and 13: activity often increases 0.7–1.5 days after the main peak.
"In some years, there are unpredictable outbreaks of activity 1-1.5 days after passing the peak. This is due to the fact that the Earth is traversed by individual dust emissions left by Comet Swift.‑Tuttle is in the past," said Evgeny Verein.
The best places to observe are regions with a large number of clear nights: Astrakhan, Volgograd, Orenburg, Amur regions, Kalmykia, Transbaikalia, Buryatia, Altai.
"This is due to the dominance of anticyclones: they prevent clouds, and the distance from large bodies of water supports dry weather. In addition, there are few large cities and many sparsely populated areas — the background of the sky remains dark," Verein explained.
Less remote locations are also suitable, such as the outskirts of megacities: a park, a country house, or a riverbank.
"To observe the Perseids, it is enough to find a place far from bright light sources. It can be a park in the near Moscow region, but a village in the Kaluga region is better. Some meteors are dim, and the urban glare will prevent them from being noticed," said Sergey Chumakov.
To find the radiant, the point in the sky from which meteors visually fly out, you need to orient yourself to the northeast. The Capella star will be visible above the horizon, and the Perseus constellation will be visible on the right. It has an asterism (a bright group of stars that has its own name, but is not a constellation), similar to a compass: in the handle of this "compass" there is a radiant.
Evgeny Verein noted that beginners often overestimate the density of the flow: the "fireworks" effect is possible only with an hourly number of thousands of meteors — such "storms" are rare. Most of the "shooting stars" are faint flashes of the fourth or fifth magnitude, bright flashes are rare. At the same time, the appearance of a bright meteor explains the popularity of the August starfall: it is often followed by a pearl plume — it quickly goes out, but for a few more seconds it is visible as a dim strip of "cosmic smoke".
It is not difficult to distinguish a meteor from a satellite or an airplane: it flashes and goes out in a fraction of a second, rapidly crossing the constellations (the particle velocity is 59 km/s). Planes move slowly and their tail lights flash, while satellites move in a straight line without fluctuations in brightness.
It is better to observe the Perseids with the naked eye. According to Sergey Chumakov, a meteor exists for a second or less, and the place of its appearance is unpredictable. Therefore, the telescope is not only useless, but also makes it difficult to observe.
Experts emphasize that the minimum conditions for observing the Perseids are clear skies and a minimum of illumination from cities and highways. The peak lasts less than a day, so it's worth setting aside one night for observations, but also a few days before and after the peak, the activity is higher than usual.
What does the combination of an eclipse, a parade of planets and Perseids mean according to the astrologer?
From the point of view of astrology, meteor showers like the Perseids are not given special significance. Astrologers consider the eclipse corridor to be the key event in the August sky picture: it carries a significant load.
"An eclipse corridor is formed because eclipses follow each other. He always gives us a chance to fix what we've been putting off for a long time, trying to hide, sweeping under the carpet. This is an opportunity to break out of a vicious circle, to rise to a new level — if, of course, we change something in our lives," astrologer Svetlana Rozhkova told Izvestia.
The expert emphasized that one should not expect the same changes for everyone — the influence of the eclipse corridor manifests itself for everyone in their own way.
"Everything is very individual, as eclipses occur in certain signs. Where these signs are located in the natal chart of a person, important, fateful events will occur," the astrologer explained.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
