Astronomer Dr Becky Smethurst describes an exceptional night of stargazing on Wednesday due to a rare coincidence of events: the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and a deep partial solar eclipse visible in the UK. The Perseid meteor shower, caused by debris from the Swift-Tuttle comet, is active from mid-July to August 23 and peaks between midnight and dawn on August 12-13, with potentially over 100 meteors per hour visible if viewing conditions are optimal. Dr Smethurst calls this a "perfect cosmic coincidence of events". The best views will be in areas with minimal light pollution, such as away from cities.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
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Story summary
This weekend, skywatchers in Canada and the UK will have a rare treat: the annual Perseid meteor shower, which is expected to peak on the night of August 12-13. The Perseids are considered one of the best meteor showers of the year due to the high number and brightness of its meteors. This year's viewing conditions are particularly good because the peak coincides with a new moon, making it easier to see faint meteors.
In addition to the meteor shower, there will be a partial solar eclipse visible in the UK on Wednesday evening, before the Sun sets and the stars emerge. Astronomers have described this coincidence as "the perfect cosmic coincidence of events." The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet, which enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up, creating spectacular streaks of light.
In Canada, experts at Western University in London, Ontario expect to see many "Earth-grazers" - meteors that enter Earth's atmosphere and then head back into space. These can be bright and fast, making them quite spectacular to see.
Written for “Perseid Meteor Shower” on 2026-08-31,
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- Published
The best annual meteor shower has once again returned to our skies, and the Perseids dazzling display is set to peak on Wednesday night.
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But skywatchers will be treated to not one, but two, impressive astronomical events within just a few hours of each other.
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A deep partial solar eclipse will be also visible in the UK in the early evening before the Sun sets and the stars emerge.
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stars → set → evening
While the two events are unrelated, their timing makes for an exceptional night of stargazing.
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Astronomer Dr Becky Smethurst said it was "the perfect cosmic coincidence of events".
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Here is when to look up and where you will have the best views of the meteor shower.
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Meteor showers happen when the Earth passes through trails of debris from asteroids or comets - a snowball of frozen rock and gas orbiting the Sun.
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Earth → happen → Sun
As that debris enters our planet's atmosphere, it burns up and creates spectacular streaks of light - meteors.
Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellow Dr Becky Smethurst described the Perseids as "one of the best nights for astronomy all year".
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The Perseids, pronounced 'Per-see-ids', are caused by debris left behind specifically by the Swift-Tuttle comet.
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This comet is considered large with its solid core measuring 16 miles (26km) across.
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As it takes 133 years to complete a single orbit around the Sun - much longer than our own - some of the pieces of rock we see burning up could have been left behind more than a century ago.
"It's sort of like the Universe's own cosmic clock in a way," Smethurst said.
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These meteors are visible all around the world and named because they appear to originate from the constellation Perseus.
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When and where can I see it?
The Perseids is active from mid-July to 23 Aug this year, but on most nights the shower will only display a few meteors each hour.
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But the best time to watch is on the peak nights, which this year is in the early morning hours between midnight and dawn on 12 and 13 August.
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If you are really lucky, you could see more than 100 'shooting stars' per hour.
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Light pollution will hide the fainter meteors, leaving only the brightest ones visible.
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This year could offer especially good viewing conditions because there is a new moon, meaning there will be no bright moonlight.
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For most of England and Wales, stargazers will have largely clear skies throughout the night with just a small chance of one or two mist patches.
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stargazers → have → patches
If you plan to stay up late in the very far north of England, Northern Ireland or much of Scotland you may need to employ a little more patience.
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While some cloud breaks are expected, there will be large areas of cloud at times and even the risk of one or two showers.
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The forecast may yet change so keep checking with BBC Weather for the latest details.
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Could I see a meteor during the eclipse?
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During an eclipse, the sky darkens offering a short window to also see the Perseids at the same time.
But this will only be in the areas witnessing a total eclipse - like Spain - and not in the UK where only a partial eclipse will be witnessed.
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But even there, the chances are extremely slim, "you would have to get very, very lucky to see a shooting star during the total eclipse," Dr Smethurst said.
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Remember for a solar eclipse you must use certified solar glasses - looking directly at the sun without proper eye protection can cause permanent eye damage.
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