Top astronomy events for August 2026
The month of August will feature one of the best meteor showers of the year and a total solar eclipse over Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Greenland.
August should provide plenty of opportunities for sky-gazers, including a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, a total solar eclipse will be visible from Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and parts of Portugal. Residents in some states in the U.S. will be able to see a partial eclipse using specialized eclipse glasses.
A total solar eclipse usually only happens about once every 18 months, per Time and Date. The last total solar eclipse was on April 8, 2024.
While the U.S. won’t be able to see the total solar eclipse in 2026, sky watchers will be able to catch the partial lunar eclipse two weeks later, on Thursday, Aug. 27, according to NASA. The partial lunar eclipse will also be visible in Europe, Africa and Western Asia.
Here’s what to know about the two August eclipses.
When is the total solar eclipse?
The solar eclipse will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 12, beginning at around 11:34 a.m. ET, according to Time and Date. The maximum eclipse will occur at 1:46 p.m. ET.
When is the partial lunar eclipse?
The eclipse will begin on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 9:23 p.m. ET, according to Time and Date. It will reach maximum eclipse, when the moon will be the most covered, on Friday, Aug. 28, at 12:12 a.m. ET.
Because it is a partial lunar eclipse, only 96% of the moon will be covered, reported Forbes.
Who can see the solar eclipse?
The following states will be able to see the partial solar eclipse on Aug. 12, according to USA TODAY’s previous reporting and National Eclipse, an organization that provides information on upcoming eclipses:
- Alaska
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Totality, or when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face, will only be visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, northern Russia, Spain and a small part of Portugal, according to NASA.
Remember, special glasses should be worn when viewing solar eclipses. The only time it is safe to look at the sun during a solar eclipse is during totality, which will not occur in the U.S.
Solar eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers can be purchased, but should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard, according to NASA.
Who will be able to see the lunar eclipse?
Unlike the solar eclipse, North and South America will be able to see the lunar eclipse, according to NASA. While only a small portion of the world gets to see the total solar eclipse, half of Earth will be able to see the lunar eclipse.
The partial lunar eclipse will be visible in these continents, per NASA:
- North America
- South America
- Europe
- Africa
- East Pacific
Lunar eclipse vs. solar eclipse: What’s the difference?
Eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align, according to NASA. However, the order in which they align determines whether it will be a lunar eclipse or a solar eclipse.
Solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon. The sun and moon have to align on the same side of the Earth. When it happens, the moon moves between the Earth and the sun and completely blocks the sun’s light from reaching Earth.
When the sun is completely blocked by the moon, it is known as the period of totality. During this time, the sky darkens, and viewers can remove their eclipse glasses to view our planet’s moon blocking our star.
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs on the night of the full moon. During the eclipse, Earth moves between the moon and the sun and casts a shadow onto the moon, per NASA.
This happens because the moon does not produce its own light. When the moon looks big, beautiful and bright, it’s actually acting like a ginormous mirror and reflecting the sun’s light down to Earth.
Contributing: Saleen Martin, USA TODAY
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.