August 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable month for stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts. According to NASA's latest skywatching tips, the month will feature an action-packed lineup of celestial events, including both a solar and a lunar eclipse, one of the year's best meteor showers, and a dazzling evening display by Venus.
Grab your calendar and get ready to look up. Here is everything you need to know to catch August's best night-sky events!
August 12: A Solar Eclipse
The month's major daytime event occurs on August 12, when a total solar eclipse will cross over northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. For those in the United States, observers along a path from Alaska to North Carolina will be treated to a partial eclipse, where the Moon will appear to take a small bite out of the Sun, with coverage varying by location.
Important Safety Tip: If you plan to watch the solar eclipse, always use certified eclipse glasses or a safe solar viewer. Regular sunglasses are never safe for viewing the Sun, and you should never look through binoculars, a telescope, or a camera without a proper solar filter attached to the front of the optics.
August 12-13: The Spectacular Perseid Meteor Shower
Later that same night, the famous Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak. The Perseids occur annually when Earth passes through the trail of dust and debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. As these tiny cosmic bits hit Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, creating bright streaks of light across the sky.
This year's shower is exceptionally promising because a New Moon falls right on August 12, guaranteeing ideally dark skies.
- How to watch: Find a dark, open spot away from city lights, and stay out late as the stars climb higher. Look toward the northeast once it is fully dark and wait for the constellation Perseus to clear the horizon. While the meteors originate from this direction, they can flash across any part of the sky, so just let your eyes wander. Be sure to give your eyes about 30 minutes to fully adjust to the darkness.
August 14-16: Venus at its Brightest
Shortly after the meteor shower, turn your attention to the evening sky to catch Venus at its most brilliant. From August 14 to 16, Venus reaches its greatest eastern elongation, which is its widest apparent separation from the Sun during this evening appearance.
- How to watch: Look low in the western sky shortly after sunset. Venus will be incredibly bright, easily outshining every other star around it. If you have access to a small telescope, point it at Venus after sunset to see the planet looking approximately half-lit, much like a miniature phase of the Moon.
August 27-28: A Deep Partial Lunar Eclipse
August will close out with a spectacular nighttime show as the Full Moon slips through Earth's shadow, creating a deep partial lunar eclipse. The event takes place on the night of August 27, continuing into the early hours of August 28 for some time zones. It will be visible across much of North and South America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa.
At the eclipse's maximum point, roughly 93% of the Moon's diameter will be plunged into the umbra, Earth's dark central shadow. While it won't be a total eclipse, the Moon will look dramatically darkened and may take on a rusty, coppery tint along its covered edge.
- How to watch: Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye. For an even better view of Earth's curved shadow moving across the lunar surface, grab a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.
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