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Toronto is set for a dual celestial display today, with a partial solar eclipse this afternoon and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower overnight — though weather may spoil the first act.
The moon will start taking a tiny bite out of the sun at 12:55 p.m. EST, with the eclipse lasting just under 90 minutes. Don’t expect any dramatic dimming: only a slim crescent of the sun will be obscured, a far cry from the near-total eclipse that darkened the city in 2024. Heavy cloud cover and a chance of afternoon rain across southern Ontario could further dampen the view, according to Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell, who warned many may miss it entirely.
The true spectacle will be across the Atlantic, where the path of totality sweeps over Europe, plunging parts of Iceland and Spain into near-darkness during the day.
Once the overcast skies clear late this afternoon, attention shifts to the Perseids, which reach their peak tonight. Farnell says conditions should improve dramatically, offering excellent meteor-spotting opportunities from midnight until just before dawn. This year’s show is primed to be especially vivid: the peak aligns with a new moon, keeping the sky extra dark and making even fainter meteors visible to the naked eye.
Rural stargazers will have the best seats, thanks to lower light pollution. At maximum, observers can anticipate 30 to 50 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society.
