August brings eclipses, meteor showers, full moon. When to look up
Mariyam Muhammad- August 2026 will feature several astronomical events, including a total solar eclipse and multiple meteor showers.
- The Perseid meteor shower will peak on Aug. 12-13, offering a popular viewing opportunity in the Northern Hemisphere.
- A partial lunar eclipse will be visible across North America and other continents on Aug. 27-28.
- Ohio offers several designated dark sky locations for optimal stargazing, including Geauga Observatory Park and Fry Family Park.
We are more than halfway through 2026, but we still have so many more astronomical events in store coming on the heels of a February meteorite strike in Ohio, a spring blue moon full moon and northern lights in January, March and June.
What will gleam in the skies in August? Here's what stargazers and skywatchers can look forward to during the next month.
Astronomical events for August 2026 include total solar eclipse, two meteor showers
What special celestial things will we be able to see in the sky in August 2026? Here's a quick rundown, according to Time and Date:
- Aug. 2, Mercury at greatest elongation west: Mercury will be visible in the morning
- Aug. 12, total solar eclipse: The moon will completely block the face of the sun in certain areas. The path of totality will cross eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Portions of Ohio will experience partial coverage during the eclipse.
- Aug. 12-13, Perseid meteor shower: The Perseids are one of the most popular meteor showers of the year, offering a good show for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their bright meteors.
- Aug. 15, Venus at greatest elongation east: Venus will be visible after sunset
- Aug. 27-28, partial lunar eclipse: A portion of the moon will pass through the Earth's shadow. This eclipse will be visible in Europe, western Asia, Africa, North America and South America.
- Aug. 28, August full moon: Known as the Sturgeon Moon, named after giant lake sturgeons.
Additionally, the Southern delta Aquariids and alpha Capricornids meteor showers peak in late July but continue well into August, according to the American Meteor Society.
How to see full moons, lunar eclipses, meteor showers in Ohio. Dark sky locations for astronomy
Of the 159 locations in the United States that are designated dark sky communities (those having little to no light pollution to interfere with astronomy), two are in Ohio:
- Geauga Observatory Park: Located in Montville Township in Geauga County, this park was selected as a dark sky site in 2011, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The park is centered around the Nassau Observatory, which moved from Cleveland to Geauga County in 1957 due to light pollution. It fell out of routine use in the 1990s.
- Fry Family Park: Located in Magnolia, about 10 miles south of Canton, the park also earned the distinction of being an IDSP-certified urban dark sky area, which means stargazers still get a good view of the night sky despite its proximity to a city.
Other dark sky destinations around Ohio, according to Ohio Magazine, include:
- Burr Oak State Park: The nearest village is four miles away and has a population of less than 2,000, so it produces little light pollution.
- Stonelick State Park: The night skies here are some of the darkest in Ohio, according to the magazine, and it's a common destination for Cincinnati-area stargazers.
- Wayne National Forest: Per the magazine, the isolated Lamping Homestead Recreation Area is arguably the darkest site in Ohio's only national forest.