A Solar Eclipse, the Perseid Meteor Shower and Six Planets

If you enjoy looking up at the night sky, Wednesday 12th August is a date worth remembering.

Within the space of one day, six planets will appear together before sunrise, a New Moon Solar Eclipse will take place during the evening and the Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak overnight.

Each event is fascinating in its own right, but having them all happen within such a short space of time makes this an especially interesting day for sky watchers.

Here is what’s happening, why it is significant and when you may be able to see each event from the UK.

At a Glance

Exact times will vary slightly depending on your location and, as always, visibility will depend on the weather.

Six Planets in the Morning Sky

Before sunrise on Wednesday morning, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune will all be above the horizon at the same time.

This is sometimes described as a planetary alignment or planet parade. The planets are not physically lined up or close together in space. From our viewpoint on Earth, however, they will appear spread along a broad, slightly curved line across the sky.

When can you see the planets?

In London and southern England, the best viewing window will be at approximately 4:50am to 5:05am on Wednesday 12th August.

Look for the planets stretching from the eastern horizon towards the southwest. You will need a location with a particularly clear and unobstructed view of the eastern horizon because Mercury and Jupiter will sit very low in the dawn light.

Mars and Saturn should be the easiest planets to identify. Mercury may be visible if the horizon is clear, while Jupiter could be more difficult to spot as the sky begins to brighten.

Uranus will require binoculars and Neptune will need a telescope, so most people will not be able to see all six with the naked eye.

The planets will remain in a similar arrangement for a few mornings around the 12th, so it may still be worth looking on the 13th or 14th if cloud prevents you from seeing them on the main date.

If you use binoculars, make sure you stop searching well before sunrise and never point them towards the Sun.

New Moon Solar Eclipse

Later that day, the New Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, creating a Solar Eclipse.

Every Solar Eclipse happens at a New Moon, but most New Moons do not cause an eclipse. This is because the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted, so it usually passes just above or below the Sun from our viewpoint.

An eclipse only happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth align closely enough for the Moon to move across the Sun’s disc.

Will the eclipse be visible from the UK?

The UK is not in the path of totality, so we will experience a partial rather than a total Solar Eclipse. However, the Moon will still cover approximately 90% of the Sun in many areas.

Coverage will be even greater in some western parts of the UK, making this the most significant Solar Eclipse visible here for many years.

Timings vary slightly by location, but across much of the UK the eclipse will:

✦ Begin between approximately 6:08pm and 6:18pm

✦ Reach its maximum between approximately 7:05pm and 7:16pm

✦ End between approximately 8pm and 8:10pm

In London, the eclipse begins at approximately 6:17pm, reaches its maximum at 7:12pm and ends at 8:06pm.

The Sun will be quite low by this point in the evening, so you will need a clear view towards the western horizon. At its maximum, the changing light may become noticeable and the temperature may drop slightly, although the sky will not become completely dark as it would during a total eclipse.

How to watch the Solar Eclipse safely

You should never look directly at the Sun without the correct protection, even when most of it is covered by the Moon.

Ordinary sunglasses are not safe for eclipse viewing. You will need certified eclipse glasses that meet the correct safety standard or an indirect method such as a pinhole projector.

Do not look at the Sun through binoculars, a telescope or a camera unless the equipment has been fitted with an appropriate specialist solar filter.

If you do not have safe viewing equipment or the weather is cloudy, several observatories and astronomy organisations are expected to broadcast the eclipse online.

The Perseid Meteor Shower

Once the Sun has set and the eclipse is over, there will be another reason to look up.

The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on Wednesday 12th into Thursday 13th August.

The Perseids appear each year when Earth travels through a trail of dust and small fragments left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. When these fragments enter our atmosphere at high speed, they burn up and appear as bright streaks of light.

Although we commonly call them shooting stars, meteors are not actually stars.

Why should the Perseids be particularly visible this year?

Moonlight can make the night sky brighter and hide some of the fainter meteors. This year, however, the Perseid peak coincides with the New Moon.

With very little moonlight competing with the display, viewing conditions should be especially promising if the skies are clear.

The Perseids are known for producing fast, bright meteors with long trails, as well as occasional fireballs that appear brighter and last longer.

Under ideal dark-sky conditions, you may see dozens of meteors an hour. The number visible will depend on cloud cover, light pollution and how long you spend watching.

How to watch the Perseid meteor shower

The best time to look will be after midnight and into the early hours of Thursday morning.

You do not need binoculars or a telescope because meteors can appear anywhere across the sky. Using equipment would actually restrict how much of the sky you can see.

For the best chance of spotting them:

✦ Find the darkest and safest place available to you

✦ Choose somewhere with a wide view of the sky

✦ Allow your eyes around 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness

✦ Avoid looking at your phone while you wait

✦ Give yourself plenty of time rather than expecting to see something immediately

You may still spot Perseids on the nights surrounding the peak, so it is worth trying again if the weather is cloudy.

Why Are These Events Happening on the Same Day?

The New Moon and Solar Eclipse are directly connected. A Solar Eclipse can only happen at a New Moon because the Moon needs to be positioned between the Earth and the Sun.

The dark New Moon sky also creates particularly good viewing conditions for the Perseid meteor shower later that night.

The six-planet gathering is a separate astronomical event. Its timing on the same morning is a coincidence, but it adds another unusual sight to an already remarkable day above us.

What Does the New Moon Solar Eclipse Mean Astrologically?

Astronomy explains how and why these events happen in the sky. Astrology looks at the symbolism traditionally associated with them.

New Moons are connected with beginnings, intentions and new possibilities. Solar Eclipses are often thought to mark larger turning points and the beginning of chapters that may unfold gradually over time.

This New Moon and Solar Eclipse falls in Leo, a sign associated with creativity, courage, confidence and self-expression.

Rather than asking you to become somebody different, this New Moon invites you to consider what already exists within you but may not have been given enough room.

It may encourage you to think about:

✦ What you would like to create or begin

✦ Where you may be holding yourself back

✦ What helps you feel more confident and expressive

✦ Where you have become lost in everyday roles and responsibilities

✦ How you could bring more creativity, enjoyment or playfulness into your life

Eclipses are traditionally treated as periods of change rather than moments when everything must be decided immediately. You do not need to force an intention or have your next chapter completely planned. Sometimes it is enough to notice what is beginning to capture your attention.

I’ve explored these themes more deeply in my journal post New Moon Solar Eclipse in Leo: The Courage to Create, including simple ways to reflect on and work with this New Moon.

Explore the New Moon Through Tarot

If you would like to explore what this New Moon may be highlighting in your own life, I’m offering a written 4-card New Moon Tarot Reading.

Your reading explores:

✦ The new beginning or chapter being highlighted

✦ What feels ready to be created or nurtured

✦ What will support it as it develops

✦ The intention or energy to carry into the lunar cycle ahead

You can choose a Tarot-only reading for £20 or add personal astrology insight from your birth chart for £30.

Explore The New Moon Reading here →

Whether you wake early to look for the planets, safely watch the eclipse, stay up for the Perseids or simply spend a little time reflecting, 12th August offers plenty of reasons to pause and look up.