Tonight Begins Meteor Shower Peak for Oregon, Washington, Coast - and Eclipse Coming

Published 08/09/2026 at 9:59 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) – Make sure you look up tonight, if you've got clear skies. Indeed, anywhere from the Oregon coast and Washington coast into Portland and Seattle, all that smoke is leaving that area alone. (Above: Manzanita / Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Now through August 13 is the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Then, later this month, you'll get treated to blood-like moon with a lunar eclipse.

All this comes from Portland astronomer Jim Todd of OMSI. Todd says the Perseids, produced by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, are among the year’s most dependable meteor displays. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, and observers in dark locations often see 30 to 50 meteors per hour.

“The Perseids are one of the brightest meteor showers of the year,” Todd told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. “Best of all, the moon is new on August 12, meaning the skies will be perfectly dark, and viewing conditions will be optimum.”

Todd notes that the American Meteor Society identifies the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13 as the best viewing period, though the broad peak makes the surrounding nights worthwhile. He recommends watching about 50 degrees away from the radiant between Perseus and Cassiopeia. A new moon on August 12 will leave skies fully dark, creating optimum viewing conditions.

Todd advises choosing a location with a wide, unobstructed horizon and minimal artificial light. While meteors are best viewed with the naked eye, he says binoculars can help catch persistent trains - glowing trails that can linger for several seconds after a meteor passes.

Pacific Northwest Weather | Oregon, Washington, Coastline (see NW from space) |---| Washington Coast Weather |---| Oregon Coast Weather |---| Inland Oregon Weather

New Moon Also Brings a Total Solar Eclipse — But Not for Oregon

Todd says the August 12 new moon coincides with a total solar eclipse whose path of totality will cross Greenland, Iceland and Spain. Partial phases will be visible across broader regions of North America, Europe and Africa. The Pacific Northwest will not see any part of the event.

Deep Partial Lunar Eclipse Follows Later in the Month

Fifteen days after the new moon, the August full Sturgeon Moon arrives on August 27, bringing what Todd describes as an exceptionally deep partial lunar eclipse. About 96 percent of the moon will slip into Earth’s umbral shadow. Because Portland is on the West Coast, Todd says the moon will rise with the eclipse already underway, appearing unusually dim while it sits low on the horizon during its deepest phase.

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