Perseids, Solar And Lunar Eclipses Highlight 2026 Summer Skywatching

Summer 2026 is shaping up to be a banner season for skywatchers, with the Perseid meteor shower peaking overnight Aug. 12 to 13 under favorable dark-sky conditions that could yield 90 or more shooting stars per hour. That same day brings a partial solar eclipse visible across 26 states including parts of the Northeast, and a partial lunar eclipse follows on Aug. 27 to 28, with nearly 96 percent of the moon sliding into Earth’s shadow.