All articles tagged with #skywatching
Space.com is live with updates for the Aug. 27–28 deep partial lunar eclipse, where up to 96.2% of the Moon will be in Earth's umbra at maximum, likely taking on a rusty reddish hue. This is the deepest partial lunar eclipse visible until the end of 2028, with the best views expected from the Americas and viewing tips provided for skywatchers.
SpaceX’s Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral early Tuesday, with the 5:33 a.m. window visible over North Carolina as Garner tower cameras captured the rocket’s vapor trail and residents from Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina, Clayton and beyond sent in sighting reports.
Space.com’s live coverage explains the Aug. 27–28, 2026 deep partial lunar eclipse, when up to 96.2% of the Moon will be in Earth's umbra and take on a reddish hue. The piece notes the event is visible from most of the night sky, with the Americas offering the best views, and provides viewing tips that require no special gear beyond binoculars or a telescope for a closer look, plus reminders that this is the deepest partial eclipse until 2028 and will be followed with live updates.
Space.com’s live coverage of the August 27–28, 2026 deep partial lunar eclipse notes that at maximum 96.2% of the Moon will be in Earth's umbra, producing a rusty-red hue with a slender illuminated edge. Visible worldwide with best views in the Americas; Europe and Africa see peak before dawn. No eclipse glasses are needed; binoculars or a small telescope enhance the view. If you miss it, the next event with similar spectacle isn’t until Dec 31, 2028. Stay tuned for updates and viewing tips throughout eclipse night.
Asteroid Apophis, about 375 meters across, will pass roughly 32,000 km from Earth on 13 April 2029 and could be visible to the naked eye for up to seven hours across a cumulative viewing region that may cover up to about 7.6 billion people; peak brightness is around magnitude 2.8, though actual visibility depends on darkness, weather and light pollution. The flyby is deemed safe, and radar data from 2021 refined the orbit to remove any impact risk for at least a century.
A bright fireball lit up the Pacific Northwest in the early hours of Friday during the Perseid meteor shower, seen across WA, OR, ID and British Columbia; witnesses reported orange/green streaks and a brief flash, with no ground impact as the meteor likely broke apart high in the atmosphere.
Forecasters expect much clearer skies Thursday night and likely Friday night, improving viewing conditions for the Perseid meteor shower according to local meteorologist Peter Hall.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight with up to about 100 meteors per hour under dark skies, especially since the peak coincides with the new moon. Best viewing starts around 11 p.m. local time and continues into the predawn hours, with meteors radiating from the Perseus constellation as Earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle; if you miss the peak, the shower remains active through Aug. 24 and is ideal for naked-eye stargazing.
Space.com is live-covering the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse from Greenland and northern Spain, with two reporting teams along the path of totality, updates on weather prospects, safety tips for viewing, and citizen-science involvement (DEB and Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast).
Space.com reports that on Aug. 12, 2026 a partial solar eclipse will sweep across North America, with the best views in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada. Maximum coverage ranges from about 37% in Fairbanks, Alaska to 61% in Iqaluit, Nunavut; Maine’s Presque Isle reaches ~28%, Bangor ~23%, and Boston ~16%. The event runs roughly from 7:34 a.m. local (AKDT) to 2:52 p.m. local (EDT). Never look directly at the Sun without proper solar viewing glasses. Venus will be visible after sunset and the Perseid meteor shower peaks August 13. The article also notes upcoming eclipses in 2027–2029 for context.
Space.com outlines a five‑day countdown to the Aug. 12, 2026 total solar eclipse, with Europe seeing a brief totality along a narrow path that crosses Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and the Balearics; a partial eclipse will be visible across much of Europe and parts of the northeastern US and eastern Canada. The site will provide live coverage from two locations on the path—Daisy Dobrijevic aboard MS Spitsbergen in Greenland and Anthony Wood in Spain—plus viewing tips, weather caveats and reminders to use ISO‑certified eclipse glasses.
A partial solar eclipse on August 12 will be followed by the Perseids meteor shower, visible from North Carolina to Alaska on August 12–13. NASA says debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle will produce 50–100 meteors per hour, including fireballs, with darker skies from the new moon boosting visibility. The event chapter spans a broad swath of the continental U.S., offering stargazers a two-night celestial display if skies stay clear.
The August 2026 full moon (the Sturgeon Moon) will reach fullness at 12:18 a.m. UTC on Aug 28, accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse visible across the Americas and parts of Africa and Europe, turning the Moon red at maximum; US observers will see moonrise on Aug 27, while Europe and Africa catch the eclipse in the early hours of Aug 28. The article explains the Sturgeon Moon’s Native American origins, suggests skywatching highlights (Summer Triangle, Venus, Spica, Saturn, Jupiter), and provides local timings for major cities plus practical tips for photographing the event.
On Aug. 12, 2026, skywatchers across North America and Europe can enjoy a daytime solar eclipse, followed by Venus at dichotomy after sunset and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower under moonless skies, with the Milky Way visible later in the night. The event offers a rare 24-hour sequence (partial to total eclipse in parts of the world; bright Venus after sunset; up to 50–75 meteors per hour under dark skies), plus region-by-region viewing notes (e.g., Alaska and the Northeast for eclipse timing; London and Paris near-total). Observers are urged to use ISO-certified solar glasses and proper filters for optics, with the best meteor viewing around midnight–2 a.m. local time. It could be one of the year's premier skywatching opportunities.
The July full Buck Moon lit up skies around the world on July 29, 2026, with a gallery of striking photos from Türkiye, Canada, the U.S. and Australia, including red-hued scenes from wildfire smoke; Space.com also flags upcoming sky events (the August 12 total solar eclipse and a late-month lunar eclipse) and offers tips on astrophotography gear and viewing opportunities.