Solar Eclipse, Six-Planet Parade and Perseids Converge on Aug. 12

On August 12, 2026, skywatchers will be treated to a rare astronomical event featuring a total solar eclipse, a six-planet parade, and the Perseid meteor shower. Before dawn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune will align in the morning sky, with some visible without telescopes. Later that day, the Moon will block the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse, although Texas will not be in the path of totality. The eclipse will be followed by the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks around this date, offering a spectacular view of meteors streaking across the night sky.