Three Major Celestial Events to Watch This Month This month will feature three significant astronomical events visible in the night sky above Massachusetts. WBUR Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing discussed these phenomena with Kelly Beatty, an expert from Sky & Telescope, who provided details on how to safely observe them. The first event is a partial solar eclipse on August 12. This occurs when the moon partially covers the sun, a phenomenon that happens roughly every 18 months. The last total solar eclipse visible in New England was in 2024, and this year’s event will be less dramatic, with only about one-sixth of the sun obscured. Beatty emphasized that even a partial eclipse is worth watching but warned that viewers must use certified eclipse glasses to protect their eyes. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient for this purpose. For those without proper equipment, Beatty suggested an alternative method: using binoculars to project the sun’s image onto a piece of paper. This involves covering one side of the binoculars with tape or paper, securing them on a tripod, and pointing them at the sky. The resulting image allows safe observation of the partially eclipsed sun. The best viewing conditions for this event are expected around 2 p.m. in Greater Boston and surrounding areas. The second major event is the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, which will reach its highest activity on August 12-13. These meteors appear to originate from the constellation Perseus but are actually debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. As the particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of approximately 133,000 miles per hour, they create bright streaks of light. Beatty noted that the peak occurs around 9 p.m., with optimal viewing conditions in areas with minimal light pollution.#massachusetts #wbur #kelly_beatty #sky_telescope #perseids_meteor_shower
