If you are skywatcher then we have good news for you. August 12 will be one of the busiest dates on the 2026 astronomy calendar, with a total solar eclipse, a six planet alignment, a New Moon and peak of the Perseid meteor shower occurring within a short span. NASA has mentioned the date as an important skywatching opportunity, although visibility will depend on location. While India will miss the total solar eclipse, people across the country could still spot several planets before sunrise and watch the Perseid meteor shower overnight.
Before sunrise, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are expected to appear across the morning sky. The planets will not form a literal straight line in space. Their apparent alignment is caused by their positions along the ecliptic, the path followed by the Sun across Earth’s sky.
Mars and Saturn should be among the easier planets to spot. Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope, while Mercury and Jupiter may be harder to see because they will sit relatively low near the horizon.
The main event on August 12 will be a total solar eclipse, as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and completely blocks sunlight along a narrow path. Totality will cross parts of northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and a small area of Portugal. A partial eclipse will be visible across wider parts of Europe, northern Africa, western and northern Asia and parts of North America. The eclipse will not be visible from India.
On the same date, there will be a new moon. The Perseid meteor shower will peak overnight from August 12 to August 13 as Earth passes through debris left by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The shower can produce a large number of meteors under dark, clear conditions, although actual rates vary with location and weather. The Perseids are visible from India, with the best viewing opportunities generally coming after midnight and before dawn (1:00 AM to 5:00 AM) from areas away from city lights.