Partial solar eclipse to coincide with Perseid meteor shower

Czechia will witness a rare celestial spectacle on Wednesday, August 12, when the Moon will cover more than 86 percent of the Sun's disc in some parts of the country.

The eclipse will be visible as a total eclipse from Greenland, Iceland and parts of Spain. According to the Czech Astronomical Society, the event will begin in Central Europe at around 7:19 p.m. CEST, with the maximum phase in Czechia occurring at around 8:11 p.m. The exact timing will vary slightly depending on location.

In Prague, the eclipse will begin at 7:19 p.m., reach its maximum at around 8:12 p.m., and the Sun will set at 8:27 p.m.

The eclipse will be followed overnight by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Observers could see between 50 and 80 meteors per hour.

Observatories across Czechia are preparing public viewing events for both phenomena.