The celestial event occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun temporarily blocking some or all of the Sun’s light, creating a crescent-shaped solar disk.
August is delivering a double feature for astronomy enthusiasts, as the partial solar eclipse coincides with the annual Perseid meteor shower set to light up skies next week. While parts of Europe experience a total solar eclipse, viewers based in North America will witness the celestial alignment as a partial eclipse where the Moon covers only part of the Sun.
What Mainers and North Americans Can Expect on August 12
In Maine, residents will have a rare opportunity to watch the Moon partially cover the solar disk around midday, weather permitting. The event carries extra significance because another solar eclipse will not appear in Maine’s sky until 2045.
According to Shawn Laatsch of the University of Maine’s Versant Power Astronomy Center, viewers in the greater Bangor area will see the partial eclipse between 12:54 and 2:49 p.m. At its peak at 1:53 p.m., as much as 23.6% of the sun will be blocked by the moon. Across the state, viewing timings for the maximum coverage will fall within a minute or two of each other, with northern and eastern regions seeing higher percentages. Caribou will experience about 25% coverage, while Portland will see about 21%.
Across the broader continent, viewing times vary. Alaska and northern Canada will observe the eclipse in the morning, eastern Canada in the afternoon, and parts of the northern U.S. from midday into the afternoon. Peak times range from 8:21 a.m. in Anchorage to around 1:53 p.m. in Washington, D.C., according to NASA data.
Viewing Events and Public Observatories in Orono
For those looking to catch a magnified look at the phenomenon, the Versant Power Astronomy Center is opening its doors. The facility will welcome members of the public to view the eclipse for free from the Historic Clark Telescope Observatory between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
“Because the telescope gives you a magnified view, you’ll probably see some sun spots. We have about 100 solar filter glasses we’ll be selling for $3 a set.”
Shawn Laatsch, University of Maine’s Versant Power Astronomy Center
For watchers outside Maine or those unable to attend local watch parties, NASA is providing digital coverage by livestreaming the eclipse on YouTube, Twitch, X, Amazon Prime, Facebook, Instagram, and NASA+.
Safety Warnings and Eye Protection Standards
Because the Sun is never completely covered from anywhere in North America during this event, health officials and astronomers emphasize that it is never safe to look directly at it without certified eye protection. Following past eclipses, institutions like the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported dozens of vision problems, with a meaningful share occurring in individuals who watched the solar disk for less than a minute.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued warnings noting that the Sun will appear dimmer than usual, which can trick observers into looking directly at it and cause lasting retinal damage.
“You should never look directly at the sun for more than a second or two without protection. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters block out 99% of the sun rays.”
Shawn Laatsch, University of Maine’s Versant Power Astronomy Center
Observers using binoculars, cameras, or telescopes must fit an approved solar filter to the front of their optics. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, offer no protection. Alternatively, viewers can use indirect viewing methods, such as a pinhole viewer, a colander, or projecting the image onto a sheet of paper.
Coinciding Celestial Events and Future Timelines
The astronomical calendar also features the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, cited by the Canadian Space Agency as the best meteor shower of the year, occurring on the night of August 12 to 13. Pierre Langlois, manager for space astronomy and planetary science missions at the Canadian Space Agency, notes that the shooting stars are caused by Earth passing through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
“You have to be patient, but it’s a great spectacle if you’re lucky to be in a region where you can see it.”
Pierre Langlois, manager for the space astronomy and planetary science missions at the Canadian Space Agency
For those who miss the August 12 partial solar eclipse, opportunities in Maine will be sparse. The next partial solar eclipse visible in the state will not occur until 2045, followed by a total solar eclipse scheduled for May 1, 2079.
Worth a look