Six-Planet Alignment to Illuminate Mexico Sky Alongside Perseid Meteor Shower

Mexico City — Skywatchers in Mexico will get a rare celestial show early Wednesday, Aug. 12, when a six-planet alignment coincides with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.

How to See the Alignment

The planetary alignment will be visible between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., shortly before sunrise. Saturn and Mars will be easily visible to the naked eye. Mercury and Jupiter will require a completely clear horizon, while Uranus should be visible with basic binoculars. Neptune will only be seen through a suitable telescope.

Perseid Meteor Shower at Its Peak

The Perseids will peak on the night of Aug. 12-13, with up to 100 meteors per hour streaking across the sky. A new moon will keep skies dark, providing ideal viewing conditions.

For the best view, head to dark-sky sites such as El Pinacate Reserve in Sonora, the Wirikuta Desert, or Izta-Popo National Park.

Total Solar Eclipse Visible Elsewhere

At the same time, a long-duration total solar eclipse will occur, with more than six minutes of totality. However, it will not be visible from Mexico. The eclipse’s path will cross Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, and Russia. Viewers can follow it through official NASA and international broadcasts.