August is a big month for skywatchers! While we’re sadly missing out on the solar eclipse, which will be visible in Iceland, we do get a couple of cool things to see at night, including the annual Perseid meteor shower, which will reach its peak on August 13 and 14, and an awesome planetary alignment, which will be visible in the early hours this week. Here’s what to look out for.
Perseid Meteor Shower, 2026
The Perseid meteor shower takes place every year, running between July 17 and August 24. It’s made of space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 133 years. Each year, the Earth crosses the dusty debris stream, which interacts with our atmosphere and lights up the sky as bright and colourful meteors. This year, the Perseids are going to be pretty spectacular, as the peak will coincide with the new moon on August 13. This will give us a dark, cosmic stage, allowing us to see the meteors flashing even better. Usually, during the peak, you can see between 60 and 100 meteors, making this one of the brightest meteor showers of the year.
The meteors will seem to appear from the same part of the sky, known as the radiant. For the Perseids, the radiant is found in the constellation Perseus, giving us the name of the meteor shower. Those in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best view, and for us in Australia, the more north you are, the more meteors you are likely to see. Unfortunately for us in Melbourne, the radiant will be below the horizon, making it difficult to find the Perseids. But don’t lose hope! Meteors can appear in any part of the sky, so keep a look out for these flashing lights.
In Melbourne, the best time to see this celestial event would be during the late hours of August 13, and the pre-dawn hours on August 14. To see the meteors, rug up, and go outside, away from the city lights. If you’re planning on staying outside for a while, bring something to keep you comfortable, like a reclining chair or a blanket. Take some time to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness, then look up at the sky for any flashes. Although the radiant will be below the horizon, keep an eye towards the north to increase your chances. The meteors can appear in colours like yellow, orange, red, green or blue, depending on the material burning up.
Plantary alignment
This week, we also have a rare planetary alignment to admire. Look up at the skies to see Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune. While they won’t appear in a single, straight line, the planets will seem close together in a broad arc across the north-western sky. Although the best time to see the alignment was this morning on August 11, you should still get a good view of all six planets before dawn on August 12 and 13.
The easiest planets to see with the naked eye will be Mars and Saturn. In the Southern Hemisphere, both Mercury and Jupiter will be a bit tricky to see, as they will appear low on the horizon, and rise in the early hours close to the Sun, and before sunrise. You will need equipment, such as binoculars or a telescope, to see Uranus and Neptune. Venus will be visible, but is not a part of the alignment.
To see the planets, look up at the sky just before sunrise. Try to find an unobstructed view of the sky, such as a large, open field. Use resources like Time and Date or Starwalk to work out the times the planets will be visible, and their positions in the sky.
