More than two years after a total solar eclipse swept across much of North America, another eclipse is coming to U.S. skies — although this one won't be quite so dramatic.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, parts of the U.S. will see a partial solar eclipse, with the view varying considerably by location.
Visibility will improve the further north you are, and many states will not be able to see any of the eclipse. For example, at the eclipse's peak, the moon will cover 37% of the sun in Fairbanks, Alaska, compared with just 4% in Washington, D.C., according to NASA.
Unlike the April 2024 eclipse, nowhere in the U.S. will experience totality. Instead, only those in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and a small corner of Portugal will get to enjoy it to maximum effect.
Aug. 12 has more in store for skywatchers in the United States. Before sunrise, six planets are expected to be visible across the sky in what is sometimes called a "planetary parade." Hours after the eclipse, the Perseid meteor shower will peak under a new moon, providing ideal, dark skies for viewing.
The partial eclipse begins shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time in parts of Alaska, while cities including Boston and New York won't see it begin until after 1 p.m.
NASA plans to livestream the eclipse beginning at 1:15 p.m. ET.
The space agency lists the following times for selected U.S. cities. (All times are local.)
Anyone looking directly at the partial solar eclipse will need proper eye protection throughout the event.
NASA says viewers should use safe solar viewing glasses — commonly called eclipse glasses — or a safe handheld solar viewer. Regular sunglasses, regardless of how dark they are, aren't safe to use when looking at the sun. Safe solar viewers should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Viewers also shouldn't look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or another optical device while wearing eclipse glasses. Those devices require special-purpose solar filters attached to the front of the optics.
People without eclipse glasses can use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector, which projects an image of the sun onto another surface without requiring viewers to look directly at it.
Before the eclipse begins, six planets — Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune — are expected to be visible across the early morning sky in what is sometimes called a "planetary parade," according to USA Today and Wired. The term describes multiple planets appearing across the sky at the same time, rather than the planets forming a true straight line.
Not all six planets will be visible to the naked eye. Binoculars will be needed to catch a glimpse of Uranus, while a telescope will be required for Neptune. Mercury and Jupiter will sit low on the horizon, where buildings, trees and the growing light before sunrise could make them harder to spot.
The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak the evening of Aug. 12 into the early morning hours of Aug. 13, according to NASA. Viewing conditions should be particularly favorable this year because the peak coincides with a new moon, leaving skies ideally dark.
The shower is known for bright, fast-moving meteors and occasional fireballs, which can remain visible longer than an average meteor streak.
The Perseids occur every year when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. Tiny pieces of comet debris enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, producing the bright streaks of light seen during the shower.
For the best view, NASA recommends waiting until it's fully dark on Aug. 12, finding a dark, open spot and looking toward the northeast. Viewing should improve later in the night as Perseus climbs higher in the sky. Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.