August 12: Solar Eclipse And Shooting Stars on Same Date

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, a solar eclipse is happening on the same day as the peak of the best summer meteor shower.

Mark your diary for a celestial double whammy

We can look forward to a celestial double whammy and you don't need any special kit to enjoy it. On August 12/13, the Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun, giving us a view of a spectacular solar eclipse across North America, the UK and Ireland and continental Europe. Then, as the Sun sets and night falls, Earth will pass through debris left behind by a comet, producing one of the best meteor showers of the year.

For stargazers, this is a date worth planning ahead for - and hopefully one to remember.

For every total solar eclipse, there's an imaginary thin 'path of totality' stretching across Earth and, if you happen to be standing within that path, you'll see a total solar eclipse - dramatically transforming daytime into twilight darkness for a few minutes and creating a surreal, eerie twilight atmosphere. Outside the path of totality, you'll see the Moon cover some - but not all - of the Sun, producing a partial solar eclipse.

As the Sun sets and the eclipse excitement subsides, get ready for the second part of the cosmic entertainment. Every year from mid-July to late August, Earth passes through debris left behind by a giant ball of rock and ice known as comet Swift-Tuttle. When this happens, tiny grains of cosmic dust slam into Earth's atmosphere, generating shooting stars, or meteor trails, in an event known as the Perseid meteor shower.

Perseids are also known for producing fireballs: extra bright, dramatic meteors that leave glowing trails across the sky. And the good news is that the meteor shower is visible across the Northern Hemisphere - so even if you weren't able to see the solar eclipse, you can still see a Perseid.

The pairing of these two events is a fortunate coincidence, because the fact that the Perseid meteor shower peaks at the same time as the solar eclipse will make Perseids even easier to spot.

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