RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s clear desert skies, low levels of light pollution and growing interest in astronomy are reinforcing the Kingdom’s reputation as a year-round destination for stargazing.
August is one of the busiest months this year for celestial events, with the Jeddah Astronomy Society saying major astronomical phenomena will include a total solar eclipse, the annual Perseid meteor shower and a deep partial lunar eclipse.
Although the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 will be visible across parts of Russia, Greenland, Iceland and Spain rather than Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom is expected to witness one on Aug. 2, 2027, with totality lasting more than six minutes in some areas.
The highlight for observers in Saudi Arabia this month will be the Perseid meteor showers, which are expected to peak on Aug. 12-13 under favorable moonless conditions. Viewers in dark locations could see up to 100 meteors per hour.
The Milky Way’s spiral arm was observed shining over the skies of Umm Al-Asafir in the Northern Borders Region on July 12, 2026. (SPA photo)
A deep partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28 will close the month, with about 93 percent of the moon’s diameter entering Earth’s shadow. The early stages will be visible from western parts of the Kingdom.
Throughout August, skywatchers will also be able to observe prominent appearances by Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, along with the seasonal transition from summer to winter constellations.
The month’s celestial calendar follows a series of astronomy stories reported by the Saudi Press Agency in July, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s favorable observing conditions and growing public interest in the night sky.
On July 12, the Milky Way’s spiral arm was observed shining over the skies of Umm Al-Asafir, located 60 kilometers south of Rafha.
At AlUla, visitors can take part in guided telescope-viewing experiences and hear traditional Bedouin stories about the stars as part of cultural tourism experiences that showcase the region’s astronomical heritage. (SPA photo)
Berjis Al-Fulaih of the Afaq Society for Astronomy explained the spectacle revealed the dense expanse of the Milky Way’s spiral arm across the center of the night sky, with thousands of stars and stellar clouds clearly visible.
SPA reported that AlUla has been reviving traditional stargazing practices by introducing visitors to the celestial knowledge that ancient communities used for navigation, agriculture and tracking the seasons, combining cultural heritage with astronomy experiences under some of the region’s darkest skies.
Visitors can take part in guided telescope-viewing experiences and hear traditional Bedouin stories about the stars, highlighting the enduring relationship between the people of AlUla and the night sky across generations.
The agency also reported on a succession of astronomical observations across the Northern Borders Region, including the appearance of the Summer Triangle, a conjunction of the moon and the bright star Antares, and the visibility of the constellations Ursa Major and Capricornus. In Rafha, SPA reported that skywatchers observed a rare alignment of the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters with Mars and the star Capella.
The reports highlight Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes as ideal locations for astronomy throughout the year, from desert regions with minimal light pollution to heritage destinations where traditional knowledge of the stars continues to be preserved and shared.
