Total solar eclipse to bypass Saudi Arabia as Perseid meteor shower lights up Kingdom’s skies

Mike Shanahan, Planetarium Director at Liberty Science Center, talks more about the big day for space.

Space enthusiasts across the UK will be treated to two spectacular displays within hours on Wednesday as the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak.

But skywatchers will be treated to not one, but two, impressive astronomical events within just a few hours of each other.

NASA lists August 12-13 as the Perseids' key viewing period in 2026, with a New Moon creating darker skies for observers across much of the world, weather permitting.