Partial lunar eclipse and Perseids meteor shower to brighten August skies
Astronomers note that August will feature a peak Perseids meteor shower, a partial lunar eclipse and a brief partial solar eclipse visible from New England, offering several notable celestial events for observers.
Astronomers say August will provide a series of notable night-sky events for observers in North America. The Perseids meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of Aug. 12, coinciding with a new moon that will keep the sky dark enough for optimal viewing.
"It’s predicted to have between 50 and 100 of these shooting stars per hour," said Francine Jackson, staff astronomer at the Ladd Observatory, Brown University.
A total solar eclipse will occur on Aug. 12, but the path of totality passes over the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain, leaving New England with only a partial eclipse of about 14 percent beginning around 1:02 p.m. EDT. Jackson warned that the solar eclipse cannot be observed with the naked eye and requires proper eye protection.
Later in the month, a deep partial lunar eclipse will take place on the night of Aug. 27-28, with 96 percent of the Moon’s disc entering Earth’s umbra. The eclipse will reach maximum coverage just after midnight, giving the Moon a reddish hue often described as a “blood moon.”
"It will begin to enter the Earth’s major shadow, the umbra, at 10:33 p.m., with the most coverage at 12:12 a.m. before the Moon leaves the umbra at 1:52 a.m.," Jackson explained.
The same night will feature the Sturgeon Moon, the full moon of August, which peaks at 12:18 a.m. ET. Throughout July and early August, planets such as Venus, Mars and Saturn remain visible, with Venus dominating the evening sky and Saturn’s rings becoming observable under clear, dark conditions.
Two minor meteor showers, the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids, are expected to peak on July 30-31, though the bright Moon may limit visibility to the brightest fireballs.