This is our running calendar of astronomy events worth seeing from the UK. We update it as the year goes on rather than replacing it each January, so it's worth bookmarking.
Last updated: 10 August 2026.
The next two weeks are the best of the decade
If you read nothing else on this page, read this. Two headline events fall within a fortnight, and one of them is the biggest of its kind in 27 years.
12 August 2026 — deep partial solar eclipse
The Moon covers around 90% of the Sun from most of the UK, rising to about 96% in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It is the closest to total that the British Isles will see for a very long time — the next comparable event is 3 September 2081.
Roughly 6pm to 8pm BST, with maximum between about 7:05pm and 7:13pm. The Sun will be low in the west, so you need an unobstructed horizon.
You must have certified eclipse glasses or a proper solar filter. Sunglasses do not work. Our full eclipse guide covers the safety side properly, along with local timings and where to stand.
12–13 August 2026 — Perseid meteor shower at its peak
The same night. A solar eclipse happens at new Moon, which means the sky a few hours later is as dark as it ever gets — so the Perseids peak this year with no moonlight at all. Expect 50 to 100 an hour from a dark site between midnight and dawn.
Eclipse at sunset, meteors before dawn, one day. Details in our Perseids guide.
28 August 2026 — deep partial lunar eclipse
Around 93% of the Moon's diameter passes into the Earth's shadow, and the shaded portion takes on the coppery red of a blood Moon. Maximum is at 05:13 BST.
The catch is the timing: it happens low in the west-south-west in brightening dawn twilight, and the Moon sets about an hour later, before the partial phase has finished. You'll want a clear western horizon and an early alarm.
Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is completely safe to watch with the naked eye. No filters, no equipment. Binoculars improve it but aren't needed.
The rest of 2026
| Event | Peak | Rate | Conditions this year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orionids | 21–23 October | ~20/hour | Poor. A waxing gibbous Moon interferes, though it sets a few hours before dawn |
| Southern Taurids | early November | ~5/hour | Good. Waning crescent Moon, little interference |
| Northern Taurids | ~12 November | ~5/hour | Good. Very little moonlight |
| Leonids | 16–17 November | ~15/hour | Moderate. Roughly half-lit Moon sets around midnight, so watch after that |
| Geminids | 13–14 December | up to 150/hour | Excellent. A 25%-lit crescent sets a few hours after sunset |
| Ursids | ~22 December | under 10/hour | Modest shower, one for completists |
The Geminids are the one to plan for. They're the strongest and most reliable shower of the year — often better than the Perseids — and 2026 gives them near-ideal conditions, with the thin crescent Moon out of the way early in the evening.
They're also unusual in being worth watching before midnight. The radiant in Gemini is well placed from around 10pm, where most showers need you to wait for the small hours. Their parent body is odd too: not a comet but an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon.
The trade-off is December in Britain. Dress as if you're going to stand still outside for two hours in the dark, because you are.
Early 2027
Quadrantids, 3–4 January. A strong shower with an unusually sharp peak — the good activity lasts only a few hours rather than a night or two, so timing matters more than with the Perseids or Geminids.
We'll expand this section as 2027 dates firm up.
The long view: UK eclipses
Worth knowing how rare the 12 August event actually is.
| Date | Event | Coverage from UK |
|---|---|---|
| 12 August 2026 | Partial solar | ~90%, up to 96% in Cornwall |
| 28 August 2026 | Partial lunar | ~93% of the Moon |
| 31 December 2028 | Total lunar — blood Moon | 72 minutes of totality, 16:16–17:28 GMT |
| 2030 | Partial solar | ~50% |
| 2053 | Partial solar | ~40% |
| 2066 | Partial solar | ~60% |
| 2075 | Partial solar | ~70% |
| 3 September 2081 | Partial solar | up to 99% |
| 2090 | Total solar | totality |
The New Year's Eve blood Moon in 2028 is the next total lunar eclipse visible from Britain, and there's nothing between now and then — the total eclipse of 3 March 2026 wasn't visible from Europe. Put it in the diary.
How to get the most out of any of this
Three things matter more than which event you pick.
Cloud beats everything. In Britain this is the dominant factor by a wide margin. Check the forecast, and watch for high thin cirrus — it ruins astronomy while looking like a clear night to anyone not paying attention.
Check the Moon. A full Moon washes out the sky as thoroughly as a small town does. For meteor showers, the nights around new Moon are what you want. It's why the Perseids are so good this year and the Orionids so poor.
Give your eyes twenty minutes. Dark adaptation takes that long and keeps improving for up to forty. One look at a phone screen undoes it. This is free and most people skip it.
For where to go, our guide to every UK dark sky place lists all 22 certified sites with the correct designation for each.
We make original astronomy prints, apparel and gifts, designed and printed in the UK. Have a look at our astronomy gifts if you're after something for a stargazer.